Secrets
by MiyaWritesThings
Summary: One night. That's all it took for everything to change. / Rated T for language and certain situations.
1. Prologue

Haruhi couldn't exactly remember what had happened last night.

However, she _did_ know that it somehow involved alcohol. Her breath reeked of the stuff and a splitting headache was beginning to form. The slightest bit of nausea crept up her esophagus and made her gag.

 _I should probably drink some water,_ she thought, blinking slowly. _What about Tamaki-senpai? Is he—_

 _Oh, fuck._

Haruhi rolled over to find Tamaki sprawled out next to her on the bed, any trace of clothing absent from his body. _Fuck, fuck, fuck…_ A closer examination of her own body revealed the exact same thing, and she quickly jumped out of the bed only to step on a pair of panties and a discarded nightgown.

" _Shit!_ " she exclaimed aloud, causing Tamaki's eyes to flutter open.

"Haruhi…" he groggily whispered, rubbing his eye with one hand and searching the bed with another. "Haruhi, where are—"

Tamaki and Haruhi locked eyes, then broke away from the gaze to stare at each other's naked bodies. Neither even had time to panic, Haruhi slowly covering her bare chest with her hands while Tamaki cupped his hands over his nose and mouth in horror.

Once again making eye contact, Haruhi slowly bent down to retrieve her nightgown and panties and put them on just as slowly before exiting the bedroom.

"Shit. Fucking shit." She had never let a string of curse words leave her mouth so willingly before, but Haruhi honestly could not believe what she had just done. Although it was obvious alcohol was involved—there was no way Tamaki could have willingly initiated something of a sexual nature—she couldn't begin to fathom how she could have let her morals slip so easily. Sure, Tamaki was attractive—all of the boys in the Host Club were—but she had come to Ouran to get the best education possible, not to fall in love. The Host Club had been a bit of a roadblock in her high school experience, but she was determined to not let that get in her way.

Until now, that is.

Haruhi wandered into the bathroom and rubbed her eyes. God, I forgot to take out my contacts… She rolled her eyes back and removed the contact lenses from her eyeballs with a sigh. "I can't believe that just happened," she mumbled to herself, squirting some contact lens solution onto the contacts before properly inserting them.

She was hot and sticky and _I probably should have washed my hands first_. Her brain was processing almost nothing except basic bodily functions and what had happened the night before. Sex. With Tamaki Suoh, of all people. Whose idea was it to have alcohol at the resort, anyway—Hikaru and Kaoru, probably? She wouldn't be surprised; she thought she could recall several bottles of exotic aged wines somewhere within the resort.

Speaking of wine… _I should probably go eat._ Haruhi let out a long, exasperated sigh and ran her fingers through her hair before exiting the bathroom and making her way to her destination.

"Haruhi! Good morning," exclaimed Kyoya, looking up from his infamous notebook with a smile.

Haruhi acknowledged his presence with a grunt and sat down at the table opposite from him. Noticing a plate of some type of pastry, she took one and promptly shoved it into her mouth without a word.

"You seem rather standoffish this morning," remarked Kyoya, looking back at his notebook. "Is there anything I should be concerned about? Tamaki, maybe?"

Haruhi's cheeks turned red. "Of course not! No, I just...had trouble sleeping."

"Alcohol can do that to a person." Kyoya chuckled and looked up from his notebook again. "Last night was quite a night, wasn't it?"

Haruhi blinked. "I really don't remember anything from last night, Kyoya-senpai."

Boy, was that a lie.

* * *

 _"Haruhi!" Hikaru and Kaoru called out simultaneously, each holding a large bottle in their hands. "Have you ever tried_ Clos de Vougeot _?"_

 _Haruhi cocked her head and raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"_

 _"_ Clos de Vougeot _," Kaoru repeated, holding up his bottle. "A variety of Pinot Noir. Approximately 75,000 yen a bottle depending on both the quality and quantity."_

 _Though Haruhi was shocked at the price, she quickly pushed that aside. "Isn't that…alcohol?!" she exclaimed. "Hikaru! Kaoru! We're underage; we can't drink that!"_

 _Hikaru laughed out loud. "Haruhi, it only counts as underage drinking if you're a commoner!"_

 _She blinked. "Um," she started, gesturing towards herself._

 _"No, silly," Kaoru snorted. "You're with us. Therefore, it doesn't count."_

 _"I still don't think it's a good idea," said Haruhi, crossing her arms. "Alcohol has never entered my body, and I would prefer it stay that way until I am of legal age to drink it."_

 _"Hika-chan! Kao-chan! Is that pinot noir?!" exclaimed Honey, squeezing Usa-chan with one arm and leading Mori over to the group with his other hand. "That goes great with sugar cookies!"_

 _Kyoya shook his head with a smile. "Sugar cookies? That's rather strange; I always thought it complements the taste of_ Abbaye de Belloc _better."_

 _"Did someone mention French cheese?" Tamaki poked his head out of the back door before exiting to join the others on the balcony._

 _"Just as a wine pairing," Mori simply stated._

 _Hikaru poured some wine into a glass. "A glass of wine, Milord?"_

 _"Of course!" Tamaki took the glass from the redhead and immediately took a sip. "Pinot noir?"_

 _"Clos de Vougeot, specifically." Kaoru smiled and helped himself to a glass. "Haruhi's being difficult."_

 _Tamaki skipped over to Haruhi and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "Is my darling daughter being rebellious?"_

 _"Stop it!" exclaimed Haruhi, tearing his arm off of her. She sighed._

 _"Okay, fine. I'll_ just try it _."_

* * *

"Bringing the wine was Hikaru and Kaoru's idea, of course." Kyoya sipped his coffee made with freshly- ground coffee beans. "We all had some, naturally. Some…more than others."

"That might explain why we're the only ones down here." Haruhi eyed Kyoya's coffee but didn't say a word.

Kyoya noticed her stare and smiled. "If I recall correctly, breakfast should be ready soon."

"These are fine," Haruhi said, grabbing another pastry and taking a bite. "What are these, anyway?"

"Pączki. Polish doughnuts. Quite similar to Berliners."

"They're delicious." Haruhi wiped her hands on a napkin and stood up. "I'm going to change clothes."

Kyoya didn't make a sound as Haruhi exited the dining room and began to go upstairs. As she neared the top, a door opened and Tamaki exited.

"Tamaki-senpai?" asked Haruhi cautiously as the Host Club leader glared at her.

"Haruhi." He was already dressed and seemed to have cleaned up from the previous night. He and Haruhi simply made tense eye contact for a few seconds before he continued down the hallway.

Haruhi sighed and went into her bedroom, flopping down on the bed with an even heavier sigh.

Whatever the hell had exactly happened last night, she hoped it didn't permanently damage their relationship.

Whatever type of relationship that happened to be.


	2. Three Minutes

**_~Two weeks later~_**

"Haruhi, you're late." Kyoya looked up from his notebook and redirected his gaze towards the only female in the room. "Remember I keep tabs on every time you arrive past the stated meeting time."

"What else is new?" Haruhi rolled her eyes and tossed her bag aside before plopping down on a couch with some of the Host Club members. "I am tired and just want to go home."

The Hitachiin twins glanced at each other and snickered. "It must be that time of month," Hikaru whispered to Kaoru, but loud enough for pretty much everyone else to hear (who are we kidding, it wasn't a whisper).

Haruhi crossed her arms. "Yes; in fact, it _is_ 'that time of month'. Any day now, to be precise."

"Any day now until what?" Honey asked innocently. At this point Haruhi wasn't sure if he was sincerely clueless or if it was just part of his façade, but either way, she didn't care.

"Any day now until I bleed profusely out of my vagina for a week!" She could tell everyone else was generally uncomfortable, but at the moment their feelings were dwarfed by her own. "Being a biological female is absolutely _wonderful_!"

"We understand your circumstances, Haruhi, but that might have been just a _tad_ too informative," Kyoya remarked. "However, if there is anything that can be done to alleviate any potential symptoms, please let us know."

"That sounds great; I am going to use the bathroom." Haruhi stood up and went to relieve herself.

The remaining Host Club members looked at each other. "That was...quite odd," commented Kyoya, pushing his glasses further up the bridge of his nose. "I can't recall her ever making such a big deal out of that."

"She seemed really angry!" Honey exclaimed, redirecting his gaze towards Mori. "Takashi, is Haru-chan okay?"

"I'm sure she's fine," Mori reassured him.

Tamaki was silent. Although it had been a little over two weeks since the "incident", he was still extremely uncomfortable around Haruhi. Every time he looked at her, all he could see was her naked body and her terrified expression from that stupid, _idiotic_ night.

A thought came to Tamaki's mind and he thoughtlessly spoke. "What if…"

Everyone looked at him. "What if what?" Kaoru asked, raising an eyebrow.

Tamaki's face went red. The thought was stupid, and besides, if he suggested it, he'd have hell to pay. It wasn't like it could _actually_ happen, anyway.

There was no way Haruhi could be pregnant.

"Never mind. It does not concern you, and besides, we need to discuss legitimate reasons for a very serious matter—"

"What are we discussing?" Haruhi sighed and rejoined the others. "Is it something I should be concerned about, or can I just zone out?"

"Why, yes, it _is_ something that concerns you," Kyoya said with a smile. Tamaki glanced at him and was about to say something, but Kyoya cut him off. "We were just discussing ways to attract new customers. If you have any suggestions, I'd love to hear them."

"Not…at the moment." She rubbed her forehead before sitting back down.

She just wanted this meeting to be over so she could go home and take a nap.

* * *

"Haruhi! I'm home!"

Haruhi silently groaned and turned down the eye on the stove. "Hi," she called back, stirring the pot and sampling a taste. "Dinner's almost ready."

"How was school?" Ranka asked his daughter as he set his purse down.

"It was school." Haruhi sighed and rolled her eyes. "Everyone is getting on my last nerve, though. It seems like every little thing they do makes me want to kill someone."

"Forgive me for asking, but are you on your period?" As a single father, Ranka had to take over the stereotypical "maternal" duties, which _also_ included talking to Haruhi about her female problems. Including menstruation.

"Not yet," sighed Haruhi. "Should be any day now."

"Well, in that case…" Ranka stood up and walked over to the refrigerator, where a grocery list was stuck to the door. "...I'm adding 'ice cream' and 'chocolate' to the grocery list."

Rolling her eyes, Haruhi stirred the pot one final time before removing it from the stove and taking it over to the table, where she sat it down on a pot holder. "Dinner's ready."

"Let Daddy get changed, and then I'll be right there!" Ranka beamed and skipped off into the bedroom to change.

* * *

 _Gah! Stupid Tamaki!_

Tamaki hit himself upside the head to punish himself for the stupid, _stupid_ thoughts currently infiltrating his brain. Why the _hell_ did he even _suggest_ to himself that Haruhi could be pregnant?! PMS was a perfectly reasonable explanation to Haruhi's irritable attitude lately—even she agreed!

However, his thoughts kept going back to that stupid night at the Nekozawas' beach resort with that _stupid_ alcohol. How did he even convince her to get in bed with him—or how did _she_ even convince _him_ to get in bed with _her_?! He had literally no recollection of that night after they kept going back and forth between shots and a rich people version of beer pong.

He obviously had never been sexually active, and he doubted Haruhi was, either. In fact, none of the other Host Club members had lost their virginities as far as he knew (and he didn't exactly want to ask). Therefore, there was an extremely low possibility condoms, or any other forms of birth control, for that matter, were anywhere within the resort.

If Haruhi was about to start her period, that would mean she would have been ovulating approximately two weeks ago—when they were at the Nekozawas' resort.

Ovulation...

Unprotected sex...

Considering that, Haruhi had a very high chance of conceiving that night.

" _Merde sainte…_ "

* * *

" _Kyoya_!"

Tamaki's voice through the phone made Kyoya's eardrum vibrate so much he had to put the phone down for a moment. "Kyoya, help!"

"What?" asked Kyoya, rubbing his eyes. It was nearing 11 pm and he was hungry for a good night's sleep.

"Kyoya, I'm gonna be a daddy!"

Tamaki sobbed through the other end of the phone while Kyoya sighed. "And how, might I ask, have you come to that conclusion?"

The blond sniffed, causing Kyoya to roll his eyes. "I had sex with Haruhi!"

"I know you did; I could hear you from my room."

Tamaki stopped crying. "You son of a bitch."

"Anyway." Kyoya sighed and rubbed his eyes. "Why, exactly, do you suspect that?"

Remembering why, exactly, he had decided to contact Kyoya in the first place sent Tamaki into hysterics again. "Because!" he cried. "She said she's about to start her period, which means that when we were at the resort, she was—"

"Alright, calm down." Kyoya sighed and yawned. "I really would like to go to bed now. We can talk about this tomorrow."

The two exchanged stressed goodbyes and Kyoya laid back on his bed.

If what Tamaki had inferred was true, the Host Club had a rather large problem.

* * *

 ** _~One week later~_**

 _Tick, tock, tick, tock…_

Six of the seven Host Club members sat in silence, listening to nothing sans the clock ticking and each other's breathing, as they waited for Haruhi to show. Nearly everyone had become impatient by this point—she had shown up late for the past three meetings. Tamaki wasn't just impatient, however—he was on the verge of sweating profusely and was trying his hardest not to appear distraught.

"Has anyone seen Haruhi today?" asked Kyoya, obviously annoyed as he glanced at the clock. "I thought we had discussed the repercussions of being late to club meetings last week."

"She was in class today," Kaoru said. "She did ask to go to the nurse after lunch, though."

Tamaki tensed up. _Fuck_.

The door to the Third Music Room slammed open and Haruhi came running in. "Sorry I'm late," she apologized in a hurried tone. "I was in the nurse's office taking something for nausea, since lunch was disgusting, and my period's late, so I've been stressed about that, and…"

She had been nauseous and her period was late.

" _Fils de pute_!"

Everyone stared at Tamaki, who was sweating buckets. He jumped up from the sofa and grabbed Haruhi's hand before dragging her into the adjacent prep room.

"What are you doing?!" exclaimed Haruhi, snatching her hand away from Tamaki's once they were in the prep room, hidden from everyone else's view. "Why'd you bring me here?!"

"We need to talk." Tamaki let out a loud sigh and began pacing back and forth. "Fuck, fuck, fuck…"

"Senpai...what's going on?" Haruhi was genuinely confused. "Are you okay?"

Tamaki ran his fingers through his hair with a stressed sigh. "I think you're pregnant."

Haruhi snorted. "Yeah, right."

"I'm serious!" He resumed pacing, this time at an increased speed. "Think about it: whether or not you want to acknowledge it, we had sex at the Nekozawas' beach resort. That was three weeks ago. And if you said your period's late, then there's a chance that—"

"I'm a teenager; my cycle still hasn't settled down! Sometimes I skip a period altogether!"

"Haruhi, just—bear with me." Tamaki began to walk around the room, rummaging through the various drawers and whatnot the club used for storage.

"What are you doing?"

Tamaki continued to dig through the drawers. "I'm looking for—aha!" He pulled a small, thin object out of one of the drawers. "Haruhi, take this."

The brunette scoffed. "A pregnancy test? Seriously?" She couldn't help but laugh as she rolled her eyes. "Senpai, I'm fifteen, you're sixteen. We're still kids! Do you really think I could have a baby this young?"

"Should you? No. Are you _capable_ of it? Yes!" Tamaki shoved the test into her hand. "I haven't been able to _sleep_ because of this. Can you just do it? Please?"

Haruhi rolled her eyes. "Fine. It's stupid, but okay."

As Haruhi went into the bathroom to take the test, Tamaki's perspiring refused to stop. What if the test _was_ positive? Haruhi's dad would straight up murder him, and his own grandmother would disown him even more than she already did (if that was possible). Not to mention he knew for a fact he wouldn't be able to take care of a child.

"Three minutes," Haruhi told Tamaki, sighing as she placed the test face-down on one of the pieces of furniture. "I already started the timer on my phone."

"I don't want to think about it." At this point pacing was the only thing Tamaki was capable of other than breathing and speaking. " _Mère de Dieu_ …"

"Speaking in French is _not_ going to help the situation, Senpai."

"I'm sorry, I speak in French when I'm nervous, and _je ne crois pas ce qui se passe, putain de merde, ma vie est finie_ —"

"Stop it!" Haruhi grabbed Tamaki's shoulders and looked him straight in the eye. "I honestly have no idea what _I'm_ going to do if it comes out positive, but I know _you_ can get through this. You're _Tamaki Suoh_ —"

"René Tamaki Richard de Grantaine Suoh, actually—"

"Oh, shut up!"

Haruhi's phone buzzed and she and Tamaki nervously looked at each other. "Are you ready?"

Tamaki quickly shook his head.

"Here goes nothing." Haruhi went over to the test and hesitated before flipping it over. "One…"

"...two…"

"...three!"

Haruhi flipped the test over and stared at it.

A taunting, almost mockingly ironic smiley face was staring back at her.

"Senpai," she calmly announced, "we have a problem."

* * *

 **(A/N) cliche topics are cliche**

 **Anywho, even though the main topic of this fic is overused quite often in fanfiction, this time it'll be with a twist ;) I have a lot planned for this, so stay tuned! As of now I've written 4 full chapters and am currently working on the 5th, but plan to space out the uploads for suspense purposes :)**

 **This is actually a rewrite of something I wrote in middle school that was so completely OOC it made me cringe to reread what I had written. I definitely hope it's better, especially since I'm 6 years older!**

 **Thanks so much to** Titou Douh **for helping me with the French in this chapter!**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	3. It's Real

Tamaki rushed to Haruhi's side and stared at the positive pregnancy test. "We...do have a problem."

"What the _hell_ are we going to do?" squeaked Haruhi. "My dad will _murder_ you. Not to mention this is a human being we're talking about…"

"I...don't know," Tamaki admitted. "Well, we...need to tell our dads. And the Host Club. And—"

"I just need some time to think about it, okay?" Haruhi folded her arms across her chest with a sigh. "Is...it alright if I go home? I just...need some time to myself."

Tamaki nodded. "Go ahead."

Haruhi sullenly grabbed her phone and bag and left Tamaki alone in the prep room.

The other Host Club members watched in confusion as she hurried across the large room towards the door. "Haruhi," Kyoya reminded her, "this is a mandatory Club meeting."

"I'm going home." She totally ignored him as she exited the Third Music Room.

"It's okay; I told her she could leave." Tamaki sighed as he closed the curtain to the storage area behind him. "I'm going to lay down."

The remaining five members glanced at each other, wondering what the hell exactly happened between the two in the back room. "Are Tama-chan and Haru-chan okay?" Honey asked Mori, cautiously, whispering so Tamaki wouldn't hear.

"I'm not sure," Mori told him, "but it'd be best not to bother them."

* * *

The air felt heavy and dark as Haruhi walked home. She couldn't believe it. Surely the test had to be inaccurate! She still didn't feel like it was something that could actually happen, but here she was…

 _I'll get changed and go to the store to buy another one,_ she decided, increasing her pace as she walked towards her apartment.

Ranka had not yet returned home from work when Haruhi came in, so she simply threw her schoolbag into her room and changed out of her uniform before heading to the store.

 _It's all just a misunderstanding_ , she repeated to herself as she hurried to the store. _It was just one test. False positives happen all the time. This one will come out negative, and then we won't have any more problems…_

Her heart was pounding as she swiped the pregnancy test off the shelf and threw it into her shopping basket. Eager to cover such a suspicious item up, she picked up several inconspicuous items as well: milk, juice, the like.

Checkout was awkward, as Haruhi was trying her best to come off as if nothing was wrong while simultaneously avoiding eye contact with the cashier. She tried to hide her antsiness, but she was sure her cover was blown as she darted out of the store.

 _Okay, I pray Dad isn't home so I can take this stupid thing,_ she thought, beginning to walk briskly in fear of Ranka beating her home.

Fortunately for Haruhi, her father had not yet returned home by the time she had arrived at the apartment, so she quickly put away the "cover items" before dashing to the bathroom to (hopefully) disprove Tamaki's suspicions.

Time couldn't have passed more slowly. Not only was she waiting for the results of a test to confirm something life-changing, she was also quite literally praying that Ranka wouldn't come home until she was finished.

After pacing the apartment and griping to herself for what seemed like forever, the timer she set on her phone went off. Realizing she had nothing to lose, Haruhi immediately went back into the bathroom to look at the test. Much to her dismay, two very opaque pink lines were visible.

"Shit," she sighed, wrapping the test in toilet paper before tossing it in the wastebasket. Tears began forming in her eyes and she dragged herself into her bedroom.

* * *

"Haruhi! I'm home!"

Haruhi groaned and wiped the tears from her eyes. "Hi Dad," she called back, trying to sound at least somewhat normal.

Ranka set down his bag and took off his shoes before going to Haruhi's bedroom. "Are you alright?" he gently asked.

"Yeah, I'm just tired." Haruhi forced a smile. "I haven't started dinner yet…"

"That's fine, Haruhi; I was planning on making it tonight." Ranka looked at his daughter with concerned eyes. "Why don't you just stay here and rest? I'll call you when dinner's ready."

"Thanks, Dad."

As soon as her father left her bedroom, Haruhi groaned. She was going to have to tell him at some point, but currently wanted to postpone telling him for as long as possible.

Meanwhile, Ranka had changed clothing and was chopping up vegetables as he waited for the pot of broth and water to boil. He knew that hot soup was great for soothing any malady, and since Haruhi seemed to be feeling badly he wanted to make something that would make her feel better.

The mixture of water and broth came to a rolling boil and he scraped the vegetables into the pot. It was then he remembered the trash was due to be picked up the next day, so he glanced at the clock before beginning to empty the trash in the kitchen.

Since Haruhi was resting and Ranka didn't want to disturb her, he decided to get the trash out of the bedroom later and get the bathroom trash instead. He moved the trash can from behind the toilet and started to take out the bag, but…

"Ah, shoot." He sighed as he stared at the spilt contents, but quickly decided to just go ahead and pick them up. Wads of toilet paper, an empty shampoo bottle, safety seals from facial scrubs…

"What's this?"

Ranka cocked his head at the small plastic stick that had slid to the other side of the bathroom. He walked over to it and crouched down, wondering if he should have gotten a piece of toilet paper to pick it up with, and flipped it over.

His heart dropped to his stomach when he realized what it was.

Cautiously standing up, Ranka continued to stare at the test. It all clicked. That's why Haruhi wasn't feeling well. That's why every single one of the Host Club members had been getting on her last nerve.

 _Host Club…_

"Haruhi?"

Haruhi sat up and rubbed her eyes. Her father was standing in the doorway, his face contorted into a perturbed expression, the positive pregnancy test in his hand.

"Dad…"

"Is it...true?"

Haruhi squinched her face and nodded, tears beginning to stream down her face. Ranka hesitated, but ultimately decided this was a moment his daughter needed him most. He walked over to her and sat down, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her head to his chest.

"I'm sorry, Dad," sobbed Haruhi, pulling her face out of his tear-soaked chest and looking up at him with watery eyes. "I don't know what happened. Like, I actually don't know what happened."

Ranka sighed, not sure if he should actually take his daughter's word or if he should question it. "When...was this?"

Haruhi sniffed. "That club outing at the end of the summer. That stupid, stupid club outing, where we went to the Nekozawas' beach resort…"

 _Host Club…_ "Who is...the father?" Ranka asked cautiously so as to not upset Haruhi. He was secretly praying it was Kyoya—after all, he was the only Host Club member who seemed to have enough sense in his brain, and besides, they already had a decent relationship as it was.

Sniffing again, Haruhi wiped her eyes. "Tamaki."

 _Crap_. "Okay," sighed Ranka. "Does he know about this?"

Haruhi nodded. "We just found out about this today, Dad. We both just agreed to think about it and let it...sink in."

Ranka looked at the ground with a dejected expression. "I can't say I'm not disappointed, but I'll help you through this," he told his daughter with some difficulty. "Don't be afraid to talk to me, Haruhi."

"It's just…" The brunette sniffed and wiped her nose. "...I don't know how I let this happen, I don't know _how_ this happened...what am I going to do about school, Dad? I'm going to lose my scholarship and I'll probably have to drop out!"

"You won't have to drop out. I can talk to Kyoya, and let him work his magic—"

"Don't talk to him yet! You're the only person we've told!"

"Let me know when you've talked to him, alright?" Ranka wrapped his arms around his daughter and pulled her in close. "I love you, Haruhi. No matter what happens, that will never change."

"I love you too, Dad."

* * *

Tamaki Suoh had been staring at the wall for two hours.

Ever since that little plastic stick had confirmed his worst fears, he had been in total shock. After Haruhi had gone home and he had crashed on a fancy yet uncomfortable couch, the Host Club meeting had continued as normal (sans the two of them). Every sound he heard was transformed into white noise once his brain had processed it, and his retinas burned with the image of the pregnancy test.

Kyoya had to shake him out of his trance to alert him of the meeting's ending. Tamaki had just enough brainpower to thank him before heading home.

Once he had arrived at his mansion, it was basically a repeat of what he had done at Ouran. Instead of immediately starting on homework to get it out of the way, he flopped onto his bed and stared at whatever his eyes decided to look at first. First it was the ceiling, then it was his pillow, and now he had settled on the wall.

 _I can't believe this_. What Tamaki had originally thought was a stupid yet somewhat plausible idea was actually true. He was sixteen years old, the heir to one of the most prominent business enterprises, a member of one of the richest families in Japan, and now he was going to be a dad. It was totally unreal. Not only would his grandmother disown him into oblivion, he was 99.99% sure that Ranka would shove his foot down his throat until it protruded from his anus.

He needed someone to talk to. He couldn't talk to Haruhi, because she was likely just as distraught as he was, if not even more. He certainly wasn't ready to tell his father, and talking to any of the servants about it was out of the question.

Kyoya was the only logical choice.

Memories of the first time he suspected Haruhi was pregnant came flooding back as Tamaki dialed his friend's number. How would Kyoya react when Tamaki told him his worst fears had come true? It would surely be a huge blow to the Host Club. Haruhi would have to leave at some point, and they would have to come up with an excuse for her leaving unless they wanted to tell the whole school she was a girl.

"Pick up, pick up, pick up," Tamaki quietly repeated to himself, anxiously shaking his leg in a subconscious attempt to relieve anxiety. The ringback tone continued; Tamaki debated on whether or not to get out of bed before Kyoya picked up.

"Hello?"

"Kyoya!" Tamaki exclaimed, jumping out of bed. He began to pace around the room as he talked. "We have a problem. Like, a really bad problem."

"What kind of problem?" Kyoya asked rather uninterestedly on the other side of the line.

Tamaki hesitated. "You...know what we were talking about last time I called?"

Kyoya sighed. "Yes?"

Tamaki hesitated again, this time struggling to find the right words. "Well, um...it's—real."

Kyoya stopped, sitting up on the couch he had been lying on. "What? You mean she's—?"

"Yeah."

"I—wow." Kyoya sighed and closed his eyes, bringing his hand up to his face and running it through his hair. "How will she...finish out her duties in the Host Club?"

"I don't know, and at this point, I don't care." Tamaki ceased his pacing and leaned against the wall. "We'll...figure it out at some point."

"And...won't she lose her scholarship?"

"I...never thought about that." The blond paused and looked up at the ceiling. "My father's the school board chairman; I'm sure I could get something worked out with him…"

"Have you told him yet?" asked Kyoya.

Tamaki pushed himself off the wall. "I—no. You're the first person I've told. I'm not sure if Haruhi has told her dad yet, but we haven't exactly talked about when we're going to tell...everyone."

Kyoya sighed yet again before responding. "I guess I'll try to think of cover-ups we could use when she has to leave."

"Thank you." Tamaki let out an audible sigh and went to sit on the bed. "I guess I'll...see you tomorrow."

"Good luck."

Tamaki hung up the phone and laid back on his bed. Well, Kyoya knew now. Hopefully telling the rest of the Host Club would be just as easy, if not easier.

The real problem was telling his father.

Suddenly the door opened and Antoinette came running into the bedroom. The golden retriever barked happily at the sight of finally seeing her owner, and put her front paws onto the bed.

"Stop it," Tamaki sighed as Antoinette licked his face. Despite his frustration and overall discomfort with the current situation, he couldn't help but chuckle a bit as the dog's rough tongue tickled his cheek.

A servant chuckled as she made her way into Tamaki's bedroom. "My apologies, Master Tamaki," she said with a bit of a laugh. "She just came back inside, and I guess she was anxious to see you."

Tamaki smiled and rubbed the dog's head. "It's fine, really."

The servant smiled and began to start out of the room. "Dinner is ready, Master Tamaki."

"I'm not particularly hungry right now, Yumiko, but thank you."

"Are you sure? The chefs have prepared filet mignon, along with string beans, grilled asparagus, roasted potatoes…"

"I might have some later tonight, then."

"Just let one of us know if you change your mind, Master Tamaki." Yumiko bowed before exiting the bedroom.

Tamaki let Antoinette jump up onto the bed, and he leaned against her flank with a sigh. "Oh, Antoinette," he sighed, "why do dogs have it so simple? You _never_ have to deal with the consequences of your actions…"

Before he knew it, he had fallen asleep.


	4. Fakely Genuine

Haruhi had never been more unfocused in her life.

Every single school subject she found herself staring off into space. Hikaru and Kaoru noticed her disinterest in subjects she normally found very interesting, and eventually confronted her about it in between classes.

"You've been acting very weird since yesterday," Kaoru told Haruhi with a raise of his eyebrow.

Hikaru nodded and added, "Something's going on."

Rolling her eyes, Haruhi sighed. "I've just been sick," she hesitantly told them, "that's all."

Hikaru scoffed. "Tamaki didn't need to talk to you _in private_ to tell you you're sick."

"It's none of your business!" Haruhi huffed and went to sit back down at her desk.

Later that day, Haruhi gathered her things and went to one of the libraries to study and eat her lunch. As she neared the library, Haruhi noticed Tamaki leaning up against a wall, looking antsy.

He noticed her, then ran up to her, grabbed her arm, and pulled her aside. "I told Kyoya yesterday."

"I—what? Why didn't you ask me first?!"

"I panicked, okay!" Tamaki exclaimed in an agitated whisper. His eyes darted around the hallway, hoping no one was listening in on their conversation. "He said he would help the best he could."

"Oh, thank God," sighed Haruhi. She paused. "When should we tell everyone else?"

"Whenever you're ready to," he told her. "It's all up to you."

Haruhi sighed yet again, then looked back up at the blonde. "Alright then, I guess it's today. I just want to get it over with." She began to walk off, but Tamaki started after her.

"Wait!" he called, causing several other students to look their way. Haruhi turned around just in time to face him.

"I don't want you to feel like you _have_ to do this today," he continued. "It's your decision. You don't have to do it if you don't want to."

"Well, I don't _want_ to, obviously, but we're going to have to tell them at some point," stated Haruhi. "Hikaru and Kaoru have already asked me about it; they know I'm not just sick."

Tamaki sighed, then shrugged his arms in defeat. "Fine, okay. We'll tell them today."

The two mutually nodded at each other and parted ways. Haruhi mindlessly walked before becoming aware of her surroundings—nowhere _near_ either of the libraries. She briefly glanced around to make sure no one was close by, then let out a loud, frustrated sigh.

" _Fuck!_ "

* * *

Tamaki nervously paced around the Third Music Room, eyes focused solely on the ground as he walked. The other Host Club members (except Haruhi, who was in the restroom throwing up) watched him in near silence, wondering what the hell was making the Host Club King so angsty,

"Tama-chan?" asked Honey, who gripped Usa-chan tighter. "Are you alright?"

The younger blond temporarily ceased his pacing to turn and look at the elder. "I am _fine_!" he stated rather angrily before resuming the pacing.

Normally Kyoya would have asked of Haruhi's whereabouts, but now that he knew of the situation he was silent. "I'm sure he is fine; as soon as Haruhi returns we will begin setting up for this afternoon's meeting."

The door to the music room slammed open and Haruhi entered, eyes dead and empty. She silently sat down on a couch next to Kyoya and closed her eyes with a sigh.

Her eyes opened. "We need to talk," she firmly announced, breaking the silence.

Tamaki and Kyoya simultaneously shot each other a piercing glance before Tamaki let out an unexpected squeak.

"Tamaki-senpai?"

Everyone turned their eyes towards him. "You were the one who decided to tell them today!" he shouted before running behind the curtain to hide.

Haruhi sighed now that her only known source of dependence had chickened out. "Fuck," she sighed rather loudly.

The twins gasped and unease seemed to hang over the room. "Haruhi has said a bad word!" Hikaru exclaimed.

"Yes, because I don't care anymore!" snapped Haruhi.

The tension was so thick it could be cut with a knife.

Haruhi stood up, lips pursed and arms crossed. "We messed up. _Badly._ Now I don't know what to do."

"'We'?" Kyoya mumbled rather slyly.

Honey frowned. "How'd you mess up, Haru-chan? I don't think you did anything wrong!"

By that moment all of Haruhi's cares had gone with the wind. "Tamaki-senpai and I are going to have a baby!" she blurted.

Silence overcame all the members of the Host Club. Tamaki peeked his head out from behind the curtain, only to be met with disapproving glances from the Hitachiins. Honey and Mori were more shocked than anything, and Kyoya, having heard the new the previous day, was rather indifferent.

"A...baby?" Honey repeated, his expression of shock slowly morphing into one of elation. "Babies are so cute! You and Tama-chan are going to have a pretty baby!"

"Honey-senpai, I'm not exactly concerned about that right now," Haruhi told him, irritated. "Right now I'm more worried about _leaving school and possibly losing my scholarship._ "

"Haruhi, we'll take care of that part. The only part _you_ need to focus on is staying healthy and strong." Kyoya continued to make notes and take care of business on his iPad, not looking up at all.

"I can't stay healthy when I want to eat my feelings!" Haruhi fell back onto the couch and covered her face with her hands.

Tamaki finally stepped out from behind the curtain to attempt to comfort Haruhi, but was only met with a shoe to the head.

"Okay, who threw that?!" he shouted. "I know we have a problem but there's no need to get violent over it!"

"A _problem_?" Hikaru repeated. "Milord, I know I'm saying this bluntly, but _your uncontrollable urges have us all fucked_."

"Excuse _me_ , but it was not my _urges_ , but rather some alcohol that _two specific people_ decided to bring—"

"It was both of our faults, okay!" Haruhi sighed and uncovered her face, prompting Tamaki to stop where he was standing. "Really, if anything, it was _my_ fault! If I hadn't passed the entrance exam I wouldn't be here. It's that simple."

Kyoya pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose with a sigh. "Haruhi, it's not solely your fault. You don't need to be stressing yourself out so early in the pregnancy."

"I—fine." Haruhi sighed again and crossed her legs. "Let's just temporarily forget this happened so we can start the actual club session."

The Host Club members ceased the discussion portion of their meeting and set up in near-silence, save for necessary comments about décor and furniture arrangement. Finally Tamaki decided he was content with the setup, and ordered everyone to stop what they were doing.

He smiled rather unenthusiastically. "The Host Club is now open for business."

* * *

"Haruhi-kun?" asked Momoka, one of Haruhi's regulars. "Are you alright? You've seemed really sick lately."

Haruhi gave her classmate her best "fakely genuine" smile and stared off into the distance. "I keep thinking about my mother," she confessed, refocusing her eyes on the regular. "She always made the _best_ soup when I was sick. I've tried to make her recipes, but nothing I make comes close to what she made."

Of course, Haruhi was bullshitting all of this. She couldn't—or wouldn't—dare tell any non-family member outside of the Host Club about her current situation. She was trying her hardest not to break down and cry; eventually she resorted to playing off her distressful tears as ones of longing.

Momoka was touched; she clasped her hands and gasped in sympathy for her host. "Oh, Haruhi-kun," she gushed, "I'm sure any cooking of yours would make your mother proud!"

"Haruhi." Before she could respond, Kyoya called her name from across the room and motioned for her to come to him.

Haruhi looked back at Momoka and sighed. "Please excuse me for a moment," she said before getting up.

Kyoya pulled her aside in a far corner out of earshot. "I apologize for speaking to you right now, but I've just thought of a plan."

"A...plan?"

The second- year nodded. "You're going to study abroad."

Haruhi scoffed. "Kyoya-senpai, I can't study abroad when…" She stopped herself and brought her voice lower. "... _in my condition_."

"Oh, you're not _actually_ going to study abroad," Kyoya quietly whispered with a hint of a smile.

Finally Haruhi got it. "Oh!" she exclaimed rather loudly, causing a few of the current Host Club customers to look at her.

Kyoya noticed the reactions and decided they were drawing too much attention to themselves. "I'll talk to you about it in more detail at another time," he told her before waving her back to her customers.

* * *

 **(A/N) things are ACTUALLY going to happen now, woah**

 **This is a short chapter, but the next chapter is very long (in comparison to the previous chapters). I hope you enjoyed!**


	5. The Best of My Ability

_To:_ _Haruhi Fujioka [fujioka . haruhi gmail . com_ _]_

 _Cc:_ _Ranka Fujioka [_ _rfujioka09 gmail . com_ _]_

 _From:_ _Kyoya Ootori [_ _kyoya ootori . com_ _]_

 _Subject:_ _Doctor's Appointment_

 _Haruhi,_

 _I have scheduled you a doctor's appointment for this Thursday evening at 18:40 at the main campus of my family's hospital. Tamaki has offered to pay all your medical fees due to his involvement in the situation._

 _Please let me know if the date or time needs to be changed. Additionally, I hope you don't mind that I've copied your father on this email._

 _Regards,_

 _Kyoya_

* * *

Haruhi exited out of the email with a sigh and closed her dad's laptop. The past two weeks had been absolute hell for her, as her unexpected pregnancy was nearly the only thing she could think about. Although she was thankful at least _one_ of the Host Club members was being helpful in such a difficult time, she still wished she could have some time to take care of her situation on her own. Especially with something as important as the first doctor's appointment.

She sighed and thought for a moment before walking over to her mother's shrine and kneeling down. Closing her eyes, she bowed her head and began to pray.

"Mom," she quietly began, "I'm not sure if you can hear me, but just know I'm sorry. I know I royally screwed up, and most of—if not all—of it is my fault. Tamaki is a good person, but a part of me still thinks he's going to treat the situation immaturely. We're both so young, Mom—should I get an abortion? It's still early enough for me to get one… I'm still not sure, that I could do that, though. I actually have my first doctor's appointment this Friday.

"I know Dad was young when I was born, and I'm sorry for repeating what you and he did. I honestly don't know what to do. Mom, if I don't get the abortion, I'm going to have to leave school, and it's probably expected that Tamaki and I get married if we decide to have the baby… I don't even like him romantically! I know, because of that this situation shouldn't have even _happened_ , but alcohol is pretty much entirely to blame.

"I'm just really sorry that I screwed up, Mom. If you were still here I know you'd be really disappointed in me. But if we do decide to go through this, I'll be a great mom like you were. I'll make you proud."

Haruhi wiped a tear from her cheek and began to stand up.

"Haruhi?"

Ranka was standing in the doorway, his eyes beginning to water just like his daughter's.

"Dad?"

"I'm sorry for interrupting," he said quietly. "Do you…want to go to the grocery store with me to pick up some sushi? Tuna nigiri, maybe?"

Haruhi was about to take up the offer, but remembered something. "I read online some types of fish can be harmful if prepared incorrectly," she sadly told him, "of course, I could just be overreacting. How about imitation crab maki, just to be safe?"

"Nigiri for me, maki for you." Ranka cracked a smile and brushed his hair out of his face. "I'm going to get changed, and then we can go, alright?" He walked over to Haruhi and kissed the top of her head. "It'll be just a few minutes."

"Okay; I'm going to work on my homework for a minute. Just tell me when you're ready."

Haruhi let out a long sigh once Ranka left the room and flopped back on the floor, arms and legs splayed out like a starfish. _I hate this_ , she thought to herself with yet another sigh. Her hand found its way to her stomach and her thought processes stopped. There was a _person_ in there. A person that was half of her.

 _I can't get an abortion_ , she thought, removing her hand. _I don't want to get one; I'm pretty sure Tamaki doesn't want me to get one…_

"Haruhi!" Ranka called from the other room. "Are you ready to go?"

She nodded and stood up. "I'm ready," she exhaled.

The Fujiokas left their apartment and made their way towards the grocery. "Are we…going to talk?" Haruhi asked her father after several minutes of silence.

"Sure," Ranka cheerfully replied, "what do you want to talk about?"

Haruhi was nervous and scratched her arm. "I have my first doctor's appointment on Friday."

"That's exciting." There was something unusual about Ranka's demeanor, but Haruhi tried her best to ignore it.'

"I'm a little nervous, though."

"It _is_ something that's easy to get nervous about."

Ranka was now avoiding all eye contact with his daughter, and had been since they had left the apartment. "Dad, are you okay?" Haruhi finally asked

"I've just been thinking about… the whole situation," he confessed, finally making eye contact. "It's going to be hard, Haruhi; it was for me, and I was five years older when you were born!" He paused. "You need a consistent support system. _Yes_ , I will be there for you, and _yes_ , this _is_ my grandchild—"

"Yeah, so I have a support system," Haruhi pointed out. "You, and—I'm assuming—the Host Club."

"I wasn't talking about that. You might be the one _carrying_ the baby, but it's Tamaki's baby, too."

Haruhi furrowed her brow. "I…don't really understand what you're trying to say."

"I'm saying, I know if I wasn't there for Kotoko she wouldn't have been able to do it. Tamaki needs to be there for you, and I mean _there_ there."

"' _There_ there'?"

Ranka sighed. "I never thought I'd say this, but I don't think it would be a bad idea for you and Tamaki to start dating, or at least start hanging out a whole lot more."

Haruhi snorted and tried her hardest to prevent herself from actually bursting out into laughter. "You've got to be kidding. Are you _actually_ stooping to their level with arranged marriages and stuff? What's next, suggesting we _live_ together?"

"I wouldn't exactly call it _arranged._ Besides, it's not like you two would actually be able to _do_ anything," suggested Ranka.

"Of course we wouldn't; we aren't romantically involved or anything."

Ranka honestly didn't believe this 100%, but he didn't say anything and decided to change the subject. "Is there anything else we need from the grocery besides the sushi?"

Haruhi thought for a moment before shaking her head. "Nothing I can think of immediately, but veggies?"

* * *

That Friday came more quickly than any Friday had come before. The moment the school bell rang that afternoon, Haruhi shot up out of her chair and made her way to the Third Music Room. The Host Club had talked it over, and since the doctor's appointment was that evening they decided not to have any costumes or special set for that particular day.

The Host Club meeting had gone without a hitch, and as soon as it was over and everyone had cleaned up Haruhi dashed home. Tamaki had agreed to pick her up from the apartment to take her to the doctor's appointment, but wanted to do it closer to time so each of them had time to change.

Although Haruhi had already expressed her nervousness to her father, she hadn't mentioned just _how_ nervous she was. Her and Tamaki's relationship had been entirely platonic up until that night at the Nekozawas' beach resort (as far as each of the two were willing to admit), and it was slowly but surely heading into uncharted territory she was afraid to explore.

She barely ate her dinner and paced the apartment, waiting for Tamaki to arrive. Ranka had to work late that night and probably wouldn't be home until Haruhi's doctor's appointment was over, so she currently had no one to jabber to. She absolutely could not focus on her homework, either—the only option was to wait.

Finally she heard the telltale sounds of commotion outside and people talking. A car door slammed and she heard footsteps pounding up the stairs.

Someone knocked at the door and Haruhi shot up. _Finally_ , she thought, anxiously jogging to the door and answering it.

Tamaki was standing there, and his eyes widened when he laid eyes on Haruhi. She had neatly fixed her hair in a more feminine style that contrasted with her usual hairdo, and had dressed herself in a frilly sky- colored dress that looked like something her father had picked out for her. Overall, it had come as a shock to Tamaki, who had almost always expected Haruhi to look homeless in any clothing outside of the Ouran uniform.

"You look…nice," he uneasily commented, scanning her up and down.

Haruhi shifted uncomfortably. "Thanks," she forced, glancing at her shoes in the corner. "I wasn't sure what to wear… I thought I'd try to look older than I actually am, so hopefully people won't stare at us…"

"Kyoya's made special arrangements," Tamaki told her, impulsively snatching Haruhi's shoes from previously mentioned corner. "Hopefully people shouldn't be a problem."

Nervously tittering, Haruhi grabbed her bag and put on the shoes. "I guess we're ready to go," she said before following Tamaki out of the apartment and locking the door behind them.

Passerby stared at the two (particularly Haruhi) as they got in the limousine and sped off towards the Ootori's hospital. They sat in awkward silence for several minutes before Haruhi spoke up.

"Are you…excited?" she asked, looking at him with a somewhat worried expression.

"As excited as I can be in our particular situation." He sighed and returned to looking out the window. "It would be totally different if we were married, or at least _out of high school_."

Haruhi was silent; she knew there would be some tension, but she didn't expect Tamaki—who usually did not think about the repercussions of his actions—to sound so… _unhappy_. Not like she was totally enthusiastic about it, either, but she was trying her hardest to make the best of the situation and appear mildly unaffected.

She coughed. "Have you talked to your dad yet?"

"What do you think?" Tamaki sulked and rested his chin on his hand. "My grandmother's going to find out if I tell him. She already hates me enough for being illegitimate; she's going to hate me even more for giving her an illegitimate _great-grandchild._ "

 _Welp_. "Senpai—"

" _Don't_ call me Senpai!" Tamaki shouted. "I _hate_ that term! I may be older than you by a year, but we _both_ messed up _immensely_ and, therefore, are equals in this situation _._ We don't do that kind of honorifics stuff in France, and it still makes me uncomfortable! Just call me by my straight name, okay?"

Haruhi swallowed. "Well, _Tamaki_ ," she stated, the now-standalone name feeling strange on her tongue, "your dad is going to find out at _some_ point. What will we do when the baby's born? You'll probably want to come visit a lot, and won't it be suspicious if you suddenly cut back on Club activities?"

Tamaki did not respond immediately. "I hadn't thought about that, actually."

The limousine came to a rolling stop and Haruhi realized they had reached the Ootori's hospital. The chauffeur exited the driver's seat and opened the door for Haruhi.

"After you, miss," he said in a formal tone, which still made her uncomfortable. She slid out of the back seat and waited on the sidewalk for Tamaki to follow her.

"Are you ready?" she quietly asked. Tamaki nodded in response and they entered the doors to the hospital.

"Oh my god."

A large group of doctors and nurses were waiting in the hospital's lobby, smiles on all their faces. "Welcome!" they exclaimed in unison, gesturing down the large hallway behind them.

Haruhi stopped and closed her eyes in embarrassment. "When Kyoya told me he had made arrangements, I didn't think he meant _this_ ," Tamaki quietly whispered to her.

"You very well know you would have done something like this if you were in charge of planning it!"

Ignoring her comment, Tamaki took Haruhi's hand and began to drag her down the hallway the doctors and nurses were gesturing towards. One of the doctors quickly caught up to them. "Excuse me," she said politely, "if you two will just follow me this way."

Tamaki and Haruhi looked at each other and shrugged. "Okay," Haruhi replied, and she and Tamaki followed the woman down a corridor to a room.

"How are you today?" the doctor asked the two with an almost-scarily pleasant demeanor.

"We're…good," Haruhi answered uneasily, glancing at Tamaki yet again.

The doctor led them inside the room and closed the door behind them. "Well, I'm glad to hear that," she said with a smile. "I'm Dr. Tsukuda, the head obstetrician at Ootori Medical's main hospital. It's so nice to meet you."

Tamaki decided to use his charm to cut through the awkwardness that hung in the air. "It's so nice to meet you as well," he said with a slightly flirty undertone (which was honestly just a product of being in the Host Club at this point).

Dr. Tsukuda flashed both of them a smile and continued. "Well, Mr. Ootori's youngest son has informed me of the… _situation_ , and let me assure you, we're here to help the best we can."

Haruhi looked the doctor in the eye and smiled a sincerely thankful smile. "Thank you."

"You're most certainly welcome." Dr. Tsukuda sat down on a stool and glanced down at her clipboard. "Okay, Miss Fujioka, before we start with anything I'll need to take some blood and run tests to see if you're actually pregnant."

"Okay," Haruhi replied, nervously fidgeting with her own fingers.

Dr. Tsukuda stood up. "I'll be right back with the supplies."

As soon as she left the room, Haruhi turned to Tamaki. "This means I still could be not pregnant!" she happily exclaimed. "I hadn't thought about a blood test! Those are more accurate than the urine tests!"

Tamaki sighed and crossed his arms in despondency. "You took two, and they both came out positive," he told her, their usual personalities switching for just a moment. "I wouldn't get your hopes up."

The doctor re-entered the room and began to set up the test, putting on a pair of gloves and opening several items. "Which arm would you like me to use?" she asked Haruhi.

"Um…the right one?" She stuck out her right arm, which Dr. Tsukuda promptly took and wrapped a tourniquet around. The crook of her elbow was swabbed with alcohol and—almost without warning—the needle was jabbed directly into Haruhi's vein.

Haruhi flinched and Dr. Tsukuda immediately attached a vial to the end of the tube attached to the needle. It quickly filled with blood, and once it was full she removed it and replaced it with another empty vial.

Three vials of blood were drawn before Dr. Tsukuda removed the needle and placed a bandage over the spot where it had been stuck in. "I'm going to run these back to the lab and I'll be right back," she told the two before cleaning up and exiting.

Tamaki sighed and rested his head on his chin in deep thought. " _Ça arrive vraiment_ ," he mumbled to himself. _It's really happening_.

"What?"

"Nothing." Tamaki sighed again. "I'm just stressed."

Haruhi pressed her lips together. "Me too," she said with a sigh, "me too."

The door to the exam room opened and Dr. Tsukuda came inside yet again. "The results should be in in one to three days," she told Haruhi and Tamaki, "but until then, we'll just treat the visit like the results are positive. I'll just need to ask you some questions regarding your medical history during this visit so we know where to start, okay?"

Haruhi nodded; she was uncomfortable disclosing her medical history and biological issues with Tamaki in the room. While Dr. Tsukuda turned around to get a pen, she leaned over to Tamaki.

"Could you leave for a minute?" she bluntly whispered.

Tamaki nodded and coughed. "Excuse me for a moment."

He left the room and Dr. Tsukuda turned around. "Okay, Miss Fujioka... when did your last period start?"

Haruhi swallowed. "July 30th."

"Okay, so that puts you at about…seven weeks."

She flipped through the papers on her clipboard until she came to a chart. "And that means your due date is approximately…May 6th."

Haruhi smiled a bit; she couldn't believe this was actually happening.

"Now, if you're considering abortion," Dr. Tsukuda continued, "you really have up until the end of the first trimester to make a decision. That's about five weeks from now."

Haruhi nodded. "I'm…not entirely sure, to be honest."

"Well, you still have time to decide." Dr. Tsukuda smiled softly before taking a quick glance at the door. "Do you want to go ahead and get the pelvic exam out of the way before your boyfriend comes back?"

"Oh, he's not my boyfriend," Haruhi told the doctor, her face reddening.

Dr. Tsukuda blinked. "Okay then. My apologies." She paused. "Let's get started."

After the pelvic exam had been completed, Dr. Tsukuda scribbled a few notes onto the papers on her clipboard (which, by this point, Haruhi had realized to be her personal file). After a silence that seemed to last forever, Dr. Tsukuda looked back up.

"You have a narrow pelvis. This could cause some complications if you choose to continue with the pregnancy, specifically with the birth. We don't have to discuss anything related to this in detail until you've made your decision, but just know that if you _do_ choose to go through with it, there could be some problems down the road."

Haruhi struggled to find the right response. "That's…not good."

"Generally, the only complications are difficulties with vaginal birth, which basically means that we'll almost definitely have to do a Caesarian section," Dr. Tsukuda continued. "If you choose to go through with the pregnancy, we might have to induce labor before the baby gets too large."

"Okay," Haruhi said with a nod.

A knock sounded at the door and Dr. Tsukuda turned her attention towards it. "Come in," she said, and the door opened and Tamaki entered.

"Did I miss anything important?" he asked, and Dr. Tsukuda glanced at Haruhi for approval before continuing.

"She has a narrow pelvis, which could cause some complications with the birthing process," Dr. Tsukuda told him. "However, we're not going to discuss it in more detail unless she decides to continue with the pregnancy."

Tamaki looked at Haruhi with a bewildered expression, then turned back to the doctor. "...Okay."

Dr. Tsukuda coughed. "Family history. Any genetic conditions or diseases that run in your family?"

Haruhi shrugged. "Nothing in my family, no," she told her, glancing at Tamaki.

He thought for a moment. "My mother has always been sick," he stated, "however, I'm not exactly sure _what_ disease she had."

"Is there a way for you to find out what specific disease she may have had? It's very important that we keep tabs on potential genetic diseases that could harm the fetus or—" Dr. Tsukuda's eyes turned to Haruhi. "—the mother."

Tamaki sighed. "I'll try my best."

Dr. Tsukuda made a note of this in Haruhi's file and looked back up. "Alright, I think that concludes today's visit. Miss Fujioka, I'd like to see you in two weeks unless you decide to terminate the pregnancy, and if that's the case we can set up an appointment for an abortion. Just head over to the check-out desk and Haruka-san will set up the appointment for you."

"Thank you so much," Haruhi said with a smile as she hopped off the exam table.

Dr. Tsukuda stuck out her hand, which Haruhi promptly shook. "It was so nice meeting you today." She turned to Tamaki and did the same. "And you, too."

Tamaki hesitated before shaking the doctor's hand with a flirtatious smile. "Thank you for all your help."

After setting up the next doctor's appointment, Haruhi and Tamaki walked back to the limousine with just as much anxiety as they had had before the appointment. Haruhi was gripping her bag tightly and pulling it close to her chest; Tamaki was unusually sulking with his hands in his pockets as he walked.

The chauffeur exited the limousine and opened the back door for the two. Haruhi slid in, followed by Tamaki, and the door was shut. Each buckled their seat belt and sat in silence as the limo drove off towards the Fujiokas' apartment.

"Something's wrong." Haruhi let out a long sigh and turned towards her senior. "Senpai—"

" _Don't_ call me senpai!" spat Tamaki, whipping his head around to glare at Haruhi. She had never seen his eyes filled with such disgust before, and it scared her. "I thought you were _dead set_ on keeping the baby. How could you even _consider_ getting an abortion?"

Haruhi clenched her teeth. "Do I _want_ to get an abortion? Of course not!"

"Then why are you undecided?!"

"I'm just trying to decide what would be best for the situation!"

Tamaki rolled his eyes. "You mean the answer isn't obvious?"

Haruhi was steaming. "This isn't as simple as instant coffee, you _obtuse twat_!"

There was a brief silence. "I beg your pardon?"

Smirking, Haruhi repeated herself. "You _obtuse twat._ "

"No, I mean the part about the instant coffee."

"Oh my god." Haruhi facepalmed and sighed before looking back up at Tamaki. "Look, let's just forget this happened. Just give me some time to think about it. Right now it looks like I'm going to keep it, but I'm not _totally_ sure. All I would like is some more time to think about it before making a final decision."

Tamaki hesitated before nodding. "Fair enough," he admitted.

The two sat in silence until the limousine pulled up to the Fujiokas' apartment building. A crowd of the building's residents began to gather as the limousine approached the property, and once it stopped, began making guesses as to who was inside.

Haruhi reached for the door handle as the limo rolled to a stop, but Tamaki prevented her from doing so. "Let me walk you to your apartment," he suggested, watching as the chauffeur exited the driver's seat and began to make his way around to the back doors.

"No, it's—fine." Haruhi blushed slightly.

"No, I insist. It's…only the proper thing to do."

Sighing, Haruhi rolled her eyes. "Fine. You can walk me to my door."

The chauffeur walked around to the back and opened the door. Haruhi and Tamaki slid out of the back seat and the chauffeur tipped his hat after the two exited.

"Alright, _no_ staying here for more than five minutes," Haruhi instructed as she pulled out her key to unlock the apartment. "My dad should be home any minute, and I don't think he'd appreciate you being here…"

She unlocked the door and pushed it open, only to find her father sitting on the counter, legs crossed in a dramatic and somewhat seductive pose. "Welcome back," he announced with a smile, eyes turning to Tamaki. "I see you've decided to take it upon yourself to actually perform some... _fatherly duties_ for once." Ranka smirked passive-aggressively, then turned to Haruhi and hopped off the counter. "Haruhi, darling, how was the doctor's appointment?"

"It was...an appointment," Haruhi said uncomfortably, avoiding eye contact with her dad. "Um...I'm going to...homework."

As Haruhi went to her bedroom, Ranka turned back to Tamaki. He smiled a condescending smile before changing his demeanor entirely. "How dare you ruin my daughter's life," he told him through gritted teeth.

Tamaki tensed up before throwing himself down on the floor in apology. "My sincerest apologies!" he cried, bowing over and over again in recognition of his offense. "I accept all responsibility!"

Ranka raised an eyebrow in disdain and lifted up Tamaki's chin with his foot. "You had _better_."

Tamaki's bows transformed into a variation of child's pose and he quivered in fear. "I will help raise this child to the best of my ability, sir!" he exclaimed, looking up at Ranka.

Ranka grabbed Tamaki's shirt collar and pulled him up. "I don't want you to raise it _to the best of your ability_ ," he spat, "I want you to be the _best goddamn dad the world has ever seen._ "

Tamaki's demeanor changed entirely and he sat up. "Really?"

"Really." Ranka nodded and sighed. "I'm not saying I forgive you for what you did to my daughter, or that I trust your judgements, but I _do_ want you to do your best."

"Y-Yes Sir!" Tamaki stuttered, bowing over and over. "I won't let you down!"

Before anything else could be added to the conversation, a clatter was heard, followed by the unmistakeable sound of vomiting.

"Haruhi?" Ranka called, glancing at Tamaki, who shared the same concerned expression as he. "Darling, are you alright?"

Another retching sound was heard, followed by a cough and a toilet flush. "Yeah," groaned Haruhi.

Tamaki blinked, and took this as his cue to leave. "I should probably go," he concluded, gesturing towards the door.

Once Tamaki said this, Ranka was back to his usual self around the blond. "Please do," he sternly suggested, glaring.

Tamaki quickly nodded before scampering out of the Fujiokas' apartment.

As he left, Haruhi came back into the kitchen where her father was. "Dad." she began, exasperated, "do we have any mints? Or anything minty, at least?"

"No," Ranka replied, "but we _do_ have toothpaste."

"I guess I'll just go brush my teeth, then." Haruhi sighed and began to walk off, but her father stopped her.

"Haruhi, come talk to me," Ranka encouraged, grabbing a cup of tea off the counter before sitting down at the chabudai. "How was the doctor's appointment? Did everything go all right?"

Rolling her eyes, Haruhi stomped over to the fridge and opened it. "Yeah, everything went fine," she said, a hint of sarcasm in her voice. "In fact, I found out that I am going to have to have my child _cut from my uterus_ because there is _insufficient space_ in my pelvis for them to pass through the birth canal unharmed!"

Ranka inhaled sharply and tensed up, then let out a sigh before continuing. "Can we...talk about this?" he asked, shifting on the zabuton and adjusting his posture. "I just...want to make sure you know what you're getting yourself into."

"Okay." Haruhi grabbed a soda from the fridge and shrugged before shutting the door. "Please, voice your concerns."

Ranka sighed again. "I'm worried you're not thinking through the consequences thoroughly enough. Do you understand how big of a responsibility this will be?"

Haruhi rolled her eyes again (which had pretty much become a habit by this point). "Of course I do, _Dad_. Why do you think I'm dying of stress right now?"

"I just want to make sure you're making the right decision."

"So you're saying that...keeping my child and taking responsibility for my actions _isn't_ the right decision?"

"It will be _very_ difficult, Haruhi. I'm just saying you don't have to do it if you don't think you can."

"Are you saying I can't make my own decisions?!"

Ranka clenched his jaw. "Haruhi, I know you're frustrated, but listen to me. I am your _father;_ _you_ are fifteen years old. I know more than you do, and I've been in nearly the same situation."

"Exactly. I'm choosing to do what you did."

"I was five years older than you are. I just want you to do whatever is in your best interest."

Haruhi sighed and got up from the chabudai. "In that case, I'm going to do my homework."

Ranka despondently watched as Haruhi exited the room. He still couldn't believe this was actually happening, but he couldn't believe it was happening like _this_.

He stood up and went into the next room over. Kneeling down in front of the shrine, he bowed his head and closed his eyes.

"Kotoko," he spoke in a low voice, "our baby girl is having a baby. I know how disappointed you must be—I am, too—but we're going to make the best of this. You were a great mother to Haruhi, and I'm confident she'll be a great mother to her child."

He paused before sighing. "I don't understand, Kotoko, why it had to be the most _idiotic_ of them all! There's _six_ of them, and it _had_ to be Tamaki. It's not the financial burden I'm worried about, it's his... _incompetence_. He acts like a _child_ , Kotoko…"

Haruhi held her breath. A simple trip back to the kitchen to retrieve her soda had quickly turned into an eavesdropping session on her father.

"...it's fairly obvious they like each other, but I still don't understand…"

Her face reddened and she quickly turned away from the doorframe. _No. We're just friends._

As she quietly walked away, another thought came to her head. _But if we're just friends…how did this happen?_

 _That's a good question._

* * *

 **(A/N) i knew this chapter was long but i didn't know it was _that_ long like jeez**

 **anywho**

 **Look! A chapter with substance! With internal thoughts and angst!**

 **Hope you enjoyed :)**

 **Also: I've been updating weekly, but this is the last chapter I have that's actually finished. I'm currently working on the next one and I'll try my hardest to have it up next Friday/Saturday, but no promises. Just trying to crank out writing of the highest quality (:**

 **Thanks so much to** Titou Douh **for helping me with the French in this chapter!**


	6. Playing the Heroine

**(A/N) This chapter was heavily inspired by Episode 19 of the anime/Chapter 31 of the manga.**

* * *

"I hope Haru-chan and Ranka-san like raspberries!" Honey gleefully exclaimed, opening the box to _just take a sniff_ before closing it again. "I'm sure Haru-chan will like it, but I'm not sure if her dad will."

"If you went through the trouble of getting them a cake, it should have at _least_ been an apology cake or something," grumbled Tamaki, who currently had his arms crossed in a defensive manner.

Hikaru scoffed. "What, one that says 'Sorry I impregnated your daughter'? Yeah, I'm sure _that_ would go over well."

"Honey-senpai." Tamaki rolled his eyes at Hikaru's response and turned to the elder blond. "Can I borrow the cake for just a second?"

"What for? You can't exactly _borrow_ a cake." He looked down at the cake before making a decision. "I… _guess_ you can look at it…"

"Thank you!" Tamaki immediately snatched the cake from Honey and flipped the top of the box open. He pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and graciously wiped off his index finger before gently pressing down on top of the cake. _S-O-R-R-Y_

"What are you doing?!" Kaoru shouted, pushing himself in such a way that he would get a look at whatever Tamaki had just done. "'Sorry'? Do you _really_ think that's going to cut it?"

"No, but I thought it would be a kind gesture—"

"But Tama-chan, you _ruined_ the cake!" Honey exhaled loudly as he squeezed Usa-chan tighter. "You can keep it."

Before Tamaki could retort, the limousine pulled to a stop right in front of the Fujiokas' apartment building.

"Look, it's a cake, either way. We're already here, so let's pretend none of this happened so we can pay Haruhi and her father a nice visit, okay?"

The Host Club made their way to the apartment in question and firmly knocked on the door. Everyone patiently waited for the door to open, except for Tamaki, who was attempting to make himself seem less distraught.

The door slowly opened. "Good mor—" An unfamiliar face appeared in the crack. "—ning?"

The door opened some more. "What do you want?"

Tamaki nervously laughed. "Sorry, wrong door—"

"Oh, don't pretend that you haven't seen me without makeup on." Ranka rubbed his forehead. "I haven't had the chance to put any on since I woke up."

Tamaki tittered and temporarily ignored all the other club members. "Oh, Ranka-san, it's so nice to—"

Ranka pushed Tamaki aside and began speaking to the rest of the Host Club. "How have you all been?" he asked, his demeanor suddenly changing into a more cheerful one. "Oh, it's been so long since I've seen you all!"

The six other members began chatting with Haruhi's father, leaving Tamaki alone at the door. Clearing his throat, he stepped up to the group. "Ranka-san, I brought you a cake."

Giving him the side eye, Ranka cautiously took the cake from Tamaki and opened the box. "'Sorry'? Did you _really_ think that was going to cut it?"

"I—no, sir."

"Come inside. We're going to have a talk." Ranka and Tamaki stepped through the door, but Ranka stuck his head back out once he remembered the others. "Please come inside as well!"

While the rest of the Host Club made themselves at home (a little _too_ at home, as per usual), Ranka dragged Tamaki into the bedroom and shut the door behind them.

"I hope you realize you _will_ be treating this situation with the utmost seriousness," Ranka said in a low voice. "I _will not_ allow you to blow this off like it's some sort of game."

"Yes, sir."

"This is a _child_ we're talking about. A child that needs to be raised in a stable home with a great amount of care and attentiveness. You don't intend on leaving it for just Haruhi to raise, do you?"

"No, sir."

"Good." Ranka sternly nodded his head in approval. "I wish to speak to your father about this."

Tamaki froze. "My…my father?" he repeated, beginning to sweat. "Um, well, you see…I haven't exactly told my dad yet."

Ranka blinked. "Are you… serious right now?!" he angrily exclaimed, grabbing Tamaki by the collar. The Host King quivered in fear at the older man's grasp. "You _will_ let your father know about this before the week is up, otherwise _I_ will be the one to tell him. Is that clear?"

Tamaki nodded rapidly.

"I said, is that _clear?_ "

"Yes, sir!"

Ranka let go of Tamaki's shirt and leaned back with a grin. "Good. Now, I want to try some of that _scrumptious_ -looking cake you brought!"

Haruhi's dad exited the bedroom, while Tamaki stayed behind, lying on the floor in total shock mode. "Sorry about that, boys," he said in an entirely pleasant demeanor. "How about we cut into this _lovely_ cake?"

"Yay!" Honey sat down at the chabudai, eagerly awaiting a slice. "By the way, where's Haru-chan?"

"Oh, Haruhi?" Ranka took the cake out of the box and looked around in the draws for an appropriate knife. "She went out with a few girls about an hour or so ago. I'm not sure when she'll be back."

The Host Club protested in disappointment; however, Kyoya saw some benefit to the situation. "I guess it _is_ rather important she socialize with her old friends outside of Ouran, especially now," he commented.

Ranka shrugged. "That's true; however, I had never met the girls who came over this morning, though. In fact, I don't recall her ever having any friends from Lobelia Academy."

Everyone else in the room froze and Tamaki bounded out of the bedroom. "Lobelia?!"

* * *

"Are you finished changing?"

"Um…" Haruhi uncomfortably tugged on the ribbon of the Lobelia Girls' Academy uniform.

Benio Amakusa, head of Lobelia's infamous White Lily League and Zuka Club, peeked her head inside the small dressing room where Haruhi was changing. "Oh, my fair maiden, you look absolutely _exquisite_! How does it fit?"

"I—"

"Oh, you look so _cute_!" exclaimed Chizuru Maihara and Hinako Tsuwabuki, the other two members of the Zuka Club's ruling council. "It's almost like it was _made_ for you!"

 _I'm sure it was_ , Haruhi thought with a mental eye roll. "Now wait just a minute!" she shouted, interrupting whatever else the Zuka Club council had to say. "What exactly is going on here!? I was literally just leaving my apartment to go to the pharmacy to pick up a prescription—"

"Surely you weren't going to pollute that beautiful feminine body of yours with _chemicals_!" Benio lifted Haruhi's chin, causing the latter to shift uncomfortably.

"Yeah…chemicals…" Haruhi shook herself from Benio's grasp. "Look, I just want to know what's going on! You dragged me here, _without warning_ , just to ask me some sort of favor?! I _swear_ , you guys are just like the Host Club…"

Chizuru, Hinako, and especially Benio were offended. "Comparing _us_? The oh-so-very-revered Zuka Club, to the _Host Club_?"

Recomposing herself, Benio continued. "I'm sorry; please forgive us. You have every right to be angry at us. Dragging you out of your own home, still in your bedclothes…"

"Um…those are my…normal clothes."

"Anyway!" exclaimed Benio, ignoring Haruhi, "We have a rather large and very important favor we must ask of you."

Haruhi opened her mouth to protest, but didn't even have a chance to speak.

"I'm sure you already know of the main purpose of the Zuka Club," Benio started. "You know, regular showcases of the songs and plays we spend _hours_ each day painstakingly rehearsing…"

Chizuru sadly nodded. "In fact, today is 'Pink Day', where we celebrate the birthday of the Zuka Club founder by putting on a special performance. So many members are so dedicated… Many dedicated their summer holiday to rehearsing…"

"But alas!" chimed in Hinako. "The student playing the heroine got in a _terrible_ accident and had to be hospitalized! And, to make matters worse, the understudy became so overwhelmed she suddenly developed a bout of gastroenteritis! Which leaves us with no other option…"

The trio formed a circle around Haruhi. "...We want _you_ to play the heroine for us!"

Haruhi blinked. "Absolutely not."

Benio smirked. "Fortunately, however, the heroine only appears in a few scenes. And, in most of those few scenes, she just stands there, acting as a sort of symbol which unifies the entire performance."

"Really, all you'd have to do is _stand there_ ," repeated Chizuru.

"Additionally," continued the Zuka Club leader, "you'd have very few lines."

"As smart as you are, I have complete confidence you could learn all of them in just a few hours!" Hinako threw in.

"Okay, but, I probably shouldn't. I really need that medicine I was going to pick up…" Haruhi turned around, intending to exit the room, but was immediately stopped by one of the Zuka Club's ridiculous performances.

"Mother!" cried Benio, falling to her knees. "Please forgive me… I can never live up to the greatness you once possessed…"

Although she had promised herself she wouldn't fall for the Zuka Club's antics, the mention of Benio's mother struck a chord with Haruhi. "Your…mother?" she softly said.

Chizuru and Hinako sadly nodded. "Benibara-sama has long dreamed of being just like her mother. Her dreams will be crushed if the performance today is cancelled…"

Haruhi hesitated. "Well, since you mentioned your mother…"

* * *

Tamaki paced back and forth in front of Lobelia's entrance, trying to think of ways to infiltrate the premises. "Hm…" he thought aloud, continuing to pace, "how will we get over this damn wall…"

"Easy!" exclaimed Hikaru and Kaoru in unison. "We'll just use you as a step stool and climb over!"

"What—no—too heavy!"

"Hey!" Ranka called, causing all eyes to go towards him. "This isn't a time to be goofing off! _Never_ underestimate what the Zuka Club can do!"

Kaoru scoffed. "You're one to talk, in that ridiculous shirt…"

"Don't make fun of my shirt! Haruhi gave it to me for Father's Day!" Ranka glanced down at the t-shirt, which was lovingly printed with the character for "father". "When you said 'Zuka Club', I panicked and didn't even bother to change. The Zuka Club…it's an _addiction_. It grabs hold of you, and never lets go as long as you live—"

"Pardon me for interrupting, but I don't think Haruhi's the type of person to become addicted to anything," Kyoya interjected.

"How do you know so much about this, anyway?" asked Honey.

Ranka sighed. "Kotoko was…a sensible girl…very dedicated to her work; didn't let anything get in the way. We were so happy when we first got married I didn't realize it…"

"Realize what?"

"Hush, I'm trying to finish!" Ranka composed himself before continuing. "Anyway, one day when she was away, I was cleaning out one of the closets and found it—" He looked up, eyes filled with solemnity. "—Kotoko's collection of Zuka Club memorabilia."

The Host Club gasped. "Oh my god! What if Haruhi's inherited more than just her mother's blood?!" Tamaki resumed his pacing, this time more frantic than ever. "Um…let's all get some Lobelia uniforms so we can sneak in, stat!"

"Absolutely not!" Ranka grabbed the back of Tamaki's shirt to prevent him from going anywhere. "If you want to save Haruhi, you'll have to listen to me, okay? I have a plan."

* * *

Back in Lobelia's main rehearsal hall, the rest of the numerous Zuka Club members anxiously watched as Benio herself showed Haruhi the ropes of acting and walked her through her supposedly "very few" scenes in the show.

Despite her outer appearance, Haruhi was absolutely not enjoying this at all. _This is stupid_ , she thought as Benio went into one of her overly exaggerated monologues. The Señorita in Reminiscence _? I couldn't think of a worse title to make someone_ not _want to see a show…_

"Haruhi!" a voice whispered, breaking her out of her internal thoughts. "Your line!"

Haruhi sighed before saying one of her only lines. "My Lord, Frederick!"

Benio fell to the floor in an unrealistically dramatic fashion before continuing. _What kind of name is Frederick, anyway…_

"My Lord, Frederick!"

 _Does she say anything besides "My Lord, Frederick"? Jeez, whoever wrote this wasn't the_ least _bit creative…_

Yet another monologue began, and Haruhi knelt down and grasped Benio's hand uncomfortably. _He sure is talking a lot for someone who just got shot and is bleeding out on the ground… Why doesn't someone just take him to the hospital?_

"My Lord, Frederick!"

Meanwhile, the Host Club uneasily watched on through a window at the far end of the rehearsal hall. "Is Haru-chan in there?" asked Honey, who was the single member unable to catch a glimpse of what was going on inside.

Tamaki squinted to get a better look. "It looks like…she's playing the heroine in some sort of tragedy…" He paused to listen. "Oh my god, her acting's horrendous."

"I really don't think one can do much with a single line," Kyota said matter-of-factly.

"Either way…" Tamaki furrowed his brow before gasping in realization. "She's about to sing!"

Ranka cocked his head. "No way; she doesn't have a lick of talent when it comes to music…!"

Haruhi opened her mouth, but immediately closed it, missing her cue. "I really need my medicine."

The numerous Zuka Club members protested; Benio sat up and visibly showed disdain. "This is the climax of the scene; can't you wait until we take a break to get it?"

"No, I really should have gotten it this morning."

"What's it for, anyway? If it was _just_ prescribed to you, surely a couple of hours wouldn't mean anything."

"Nausea—"

Haruhi's hand immediately clamped around her mouth, her eyes rapidly scanning the room. After a quick decision she dashed to the corner, where she vomited into a potted plant.

Outside, Ranka sighed with pity. "Poor Haruhi," he said softly. "Her morning sickness lately has been _terrible_."

"I wonder whose fault that is?" Hikaru turned his head and glared at Tamaki, whose face turned red.

"Oh, give it _up_!" Tamaki rolled his eyes and continued to watch.

"Hey, new people!" a harsh voice shouted, causing the group to turn around. A large cluster of Lobelia students had crowded behind the Host Club plus Ranka and were staring disapprovingly. "If you _men_ want to be in the Lady Benibara Fan Club, you'll have to follow _our_ rules! And that means _wandering_ is prohibited!"

* * *

The day went on and Haruhi was thrown back into rehearsals. Although she _was_ allowed to get the medication the obstetrician had prescribed, another high-ranking member of the Zuka Club had been sent to fetch it, and it wasn't until two hours later that she was actually able to take it.

However, during those two torturous hours, immense progress had been made. So much that Benio, Chizuru, and Hinako had declared the show rehearsed enough to move on to dress rehearsals in the performance hall.

The self-proclaimed "Lady Benibara Fan Club" was seated towards the center of the audience, eagerly watching the run-through of the show. The Host Club, however, was unenthusiastically looking on as they stood up against the wall of the side aisle.

"Is that Haru-chan?" Honey eagerly asked, prompting the other members (and Ranka) to redirect their attention towards the stage.

The silhouette of a female figure became outlined by backlighting, and the illumination of wash lights confirmed that it was, indeed, Haruhi. However, this particular Haruhi bore a stark contrast to the Haruhi they were used to seeing. Her short hair had been replaced by a long, flowing wig done in a complicated half-updo, and in the place of her plain clothes was a frilly pink 19th-century ball gown.

"She looks so cute!" Tamaki was overjoyed at seeing Haruhi in feminine clothing, but his joy quickly turned to disgust when he looked closer at her face. "That makeup is _terrible_!"

"It's just stage makeup," sighed Ranka. He and the Hosts looked on, silent. "Just look at her. She seems so much more… _at ease_ than she did earlier."

Tamaki contemplated what Ranka had said before saying anything. "You're right," he hesitantly admitted. "If she's chosen to give it her best effort, we shouldn't stop her."

Their silent watching quickly turned into confusion when Benio's fan club began squealing. "Here comes the kiss scene!" one screeched, eagerly following along in the script.

"Kiss scene?!"

Benio gently embraced Haruhi as the two were slowly lifted by a platform. The two closed their eyes and began to lean in, each concentrating on the task at hand, as anticipation built up in the audience.

" _Don't_!"

Haruhi and Benio gasped as Tamaki broke away from the rest of the Host Club. "Tamaki?!" Haruhi exclaimed, literally taken aback at his sudden outburst. "What are you doing he—"

As she took a step back, Haruhi's foot failed to meet any hard surface, falling through the air and taking the rest of the appendage with it. Haruhi tumbled off the platform, the ten feet feeling more like a hundred.

" _Haruhi_!"

Haruhi's fall was conveniently cushioned by a crash pad that seemingly appeared out of nowhere as the Host Club ran to her aid. "Well, I see you all have finally decided to make an appearance," Benio smirked, both literally and figuratively looking down on the Host Club from the platform.

Ranka rushed to his daughter's side. "Are you okay?" he asked, beginning to help her up. "Is the baby okay?"

"Dad—"

" _What_?!" Benio was bewildered, and took a moment to put two and two together. "Who—who did this to you?!"

Out of instinct, all eyes found their way to Tamaki.

"Of course," Benio mumbled. Chizuru rushed offstage and flipped a switch that lowered the platform as Ranka helped Haruhi up off the crash pad. "I've changed my mind. You can go; we can find someone else or postpone the performance."

 _It didn't seem that much up for debate when they dragged me here_ , thought Haruhi as she ripped off the wig and pulled the heels off her feet.

"Let's get you changed so we can go by the hospital to make sure everything's okay," Ranka told his daughter, wrapping his arm around her shoulder as they headed to the dressing room.

Chizuru and Hinako joined Benio and watched as Haruhi and her father walked away. "Are you really just going to let them walk away like that, Benibara-sama?" Hinako whispered, her eyes following the two until they went into the dressing room.

"Of course not!" Benio laughed, taking off the tuxedo jacket she was currently dressed in. "Do you girls know what this means? She can't _possibly_ hide a pregnancy, especially when masquerading as a _boy_. It means she's going to get expelled. And if she's expelled, she'll have no choice but to come to Lobelia!"

* * *

 **(A/N) whoop there it is**

 **I've started 2 other chapters (plot bunnies) but I have no idea when they'll be finished. Since there's 2 more days of Camp NaNoWriMo and I still have ~1000 words until I hit my goal I'll try really hard to have them finished by next Friday/Saturday, but no promises. Also, I head to college August 11 so my ability to write after then will probably be hindered by classes/clubs/etc.**


	7. A Little Too Late

**(A/N) Sorry for the two-week absence! I've been super busy lately—I've been packing and shopping to move into my college dorm today! I just haven't had the time (or motivation) to update, especially since Camp NaNoWriMo ended.**

 **That being said, this is chapter 6! I hope you all enjoy :D**

* * *

 _Come on, Tamaki. You can do this._

Tamaki squeezed his eyes shut and clenched his fists. All he had to do was knock on the door.

Surely his father would understand. He had been in nearly the same situation…

 _Yeah, but he had a stable job and a well-respected position and_ wasn't sixteen years old!

The door opened and one of Mr. Suoh's secretaries exited the office. "Your father just sent me to call you here," she remarked with a smile. "You can just go on inside."

Tamaki forced a smile and gulped. "Thank you," he forced before taking a deep breath and knocking, despite what the secretary had told him.

"Come in," Mr. Suoh called from within the office.

Tamaki slowly pushed open the door. As soon as he looked up from the floor, eye contact was made between the two Suohs; despite nothing actually having happened yet, he took his father's gaze as one filled with hatred.

"Good afternoon," Yuzuru said with a smile. "How's my favorite son?"

Tamaki blinked, his mind too preoccupied for any small talk. "I'm your only son."

"Exactly." Yuzuru chuckled, leaning back in his leather desk chair. "Now, what was I going to say...ah, yes! How would you like to have dinner tonight?"

"Um, dinner?"

"Yes, dinner," replied Yuzuru, clasping his hands together. "Just you and me. I'll come over to the second mansion and make sure food of the... _first mansion quality_ is served."

Tamaki forced a smile. "That sounds great." He coughed before finally just deciding to get it over with.

"So, um, Dad." He broke eye contact with his father, his palms beginning to sweat. "There's something I kind of need to talk to you about."

"Of course!" Yuzuru exclaimed, smiling. "Is this about the Host Club? Do I need to set aside funds for anything, or call anyone in particular…?"

Tamaki swallowed. "Um, kind of. It's about…Haruhi."

"Oh, Miss Fujioka?" the elder Suoh asked, intrigued. "Yes, she's a sweet girl. A bit of a strange situation she's been put in due to the _irresponsible actions of someone in particular_ , of course, but nonetheless a fine, intelligent young lady."

"Look, there's no way I possibly could have known—"

"Oh, I'm just teasing," Yuzuru said with a chuckle. "Anyway. What was it you were needing to tell me about?"

Tamaki took a deep breath and opened his mouth, ready to blurt out the secret.

"Are her grades all right?" continued Yuzuru, completely oblivious to his son's behavior. "Do I need to remind her of Ouran Academy's policy towards scholarship students?"

"No, Dad, it's...much more important than that."

"Is anything really more important than one's grades in high school?"

Tamaki tensed up. "Dad, this is bigger than that! Haruhi's—"

The door to the office opened and the chairman's secretary entered. "Sir, you're needed in the Office of Recreational Activities."

Yuzuru sighed before standing up. "We can talk about this tonight," he sadly told his son. "Just be sure to remind me."

Tamaki nervously laughed. "Okay."

* * *

Running down the hallway at lightning speed (or, as fast as he could without getting in trouble), Tamaki's head was pounding. At this point he just wanted to get it over with, and every extra second increased his anxiety—not to mention the added stress of _actually figuring out when to tell his dad_.

 _Haruhi, Haruhi…_ He _had_ to find Haruhi before the lunch hour was over so he could tell her the revelation had been postponed.

He rounded a corner and immediately slammed into someone, causing a stack of books to strew all over the ground. "Oh my god, I am _so_ sorry—"

"You seem to be in an _awful_ hurry." Akira Komatsuzawa, president of the Newspaper Club, adjusted his glasses as he looked up at Tamaki.

"Oh, uh— let me help you with that." Tamaki scampered around on the ground, grabbing as many books as he could. "I'm terribly sorry, I was just… really trying to get stuff done before lunch is over."

"No need to apologize," Akira said, taking the books from Tamaki's hand and adding them to the stack he had made. "I understand you're _immensely_ busy, being the Host Club President as well as the son of the school board chairman."

"…Yeah, totally."

Akira smiled smugly. "I'll see you around."

Tamaki could do nothing but stare dumbly as Akira walked off.

He had to physically shake himself out of his own stupor before continuing down the corridor. "Where would Haruhi be..." he mumbled to himself as he glanced at the signs above each door. "Aha! The library!"

Carefully opening the door, Tamaki spotted Haruhi at a far table, studying and doing work while she ate her lunch. Without thinking, he immediately started running towards his destination.

"No running in the library!" All eyes rested on Tamaki as the librarian called him out, Haruhi's included. She sighed as he sheepishly made his way to the table she was seated at.

"How did it go?" asked Haruhi, eyes still focused on her European history notes.

"It…didn't." Tamaki pulled out a chair and sat down.

Haruhi sighed and closed her notebook. "Are you going to take this seriously?" she asked in a low voice.

"I'm trying!" said Tamaki through gritted teeth. "I was literally about to tell my dad, but then he got called out for something!"

Sighing yet again, Haruhi began to pack up her stuff. "Of course he did. Look, I don't want to pressure you into doing anything, but you'll have to do it soon. I'll have to leave in a few weeks."

"Don't worry, I have enough pressure from your dad already."

"What did he do _this_ time?"

"If I don't tell my dad by this Saturday, yours is going to do it for me."

" _Really_?" Haruhi groaned. She shoved her books into her satchel before standing up. "I'm going to go back to class. See you this afternoon."

* * *

~ _That night_ ~

Tamaki hastily looked through his closet, looking for something to wear before his father arrived for dinner. "What do I own that screams 'teenage son disappointing his father'?" he mumbled to himself as he took a shirt off the rack. "No, too casual. Maybe this one? No." He continued to browse his closet until he had flipped through everything that was on a hanger. "You know what, I'll just wear a suit."

He heard a knock at the door. "Come in," he said reluctantly, pulling out a suit jacket and a dress shirt.

A servant peeked his head inside. "Your father has arrived, Master Tamaki."

"Oh f—" Tamaki caught himself before tossing the jacket and shirt on the bed. "Thank you. Tell him I'll be right there."

"Why such formal clothes?"

"No reason." Tamaki nervously laughed and the servant left, closing the door behind him.

After throwing on clothing faster than he had ever done before, Tamaki tied his shoelaces and double-checked his Windsor knot. His gaze drifted upward until he was staring right into his own eyes, and he sighed. "This is it. Let's do this."

He exited his suite and hurried down the hallway as fast as he could without making it sound like he was in a rush. / He finally made it to the grand staircase and clenched his fists, mentally preparing himself for what was to come.

Yuzuru abruptly turned around. "Ah, there you are!" Tamaki nervously smiled and began to make his way down the steps. "I was getting worried about you!"

"Yep, worried, haha." Tamaki forced himself to smile and scratched the back of his neck.

"What's the occasion?" asked the elder Suoh, brushing some dust off the shoulder of his son's suit. "You weren't getting dressed up just for dinner, were you?"

"I, uh—" Tamaki couldn't believe he was acting so stupidly, but couldn't exactly do anything to assuage his fears. "—You always wear suits?"

"Because I'm a businessman," Yuzuru chuckled, putting his hands in his pockets. "Come on; let's eat."

Tamaki uncomfortably followed, avoiding any small talk or eye contact.

"I told the chefs to surprise us," Yuzuru continued as the two came into view of the main dining room. The French doors were opened for them and they sat down at the overly large dining table, across from each other.

"I wonder what it'll be?"

Almost as if on cue, a chef entered the room with a platter in his hand. "Your appetizer," he announced, placing a dish in front of each Suoh. "Black sesame ahi tuna with citrus aioli."

 _Tuna… That's Haruhi's favorite_ , Tamaki thought, staring at the dish. He uncomfortably looked up at the chef with a smile, however, and thanked him.

As soon as he and his father were alone, Tamaki coughed. "Um, Dad. We were going to talk about that… _thing_ , remember?"

"Ah, yes," Yuzuru said, wiping his mouth. "It was about Miss Fujioka, wasn't it?"

Tamaki gulped. "Yeah. See, the thing is, Haruhi's pre…tty excited about being a student at Ouran!"

 _Oh my god I can't believe you just did that._

Yuzuru smiled, albeit a confused one. "I'm… glad she's enjoying herself!"

* * *

Kyoya silently listened to his own father talking with his eldest brother over dinner, his other brother doing the same. This was a frequent occurrence during the weekly business-related dinner; Kyoya was regularly ignored while Yoshio discussed business matters with Yuuichi and, less frequently, Akito.

"So, Kyoya." The mention of his own name caught the Host Club Vice President off-guard and he immediately looked up from his plate. "I was going through the hospital records from the past month, and I found something particularly interesting."

"Oh, really?" Kyoya could feel the nerves building up inside him, but decided to play it cool until his father finished.

"Yes, I was just browsing each department's fiscal summaries for the past month, and I noticed a familiar name attached to some of the statements."

Kyoya's eyes widened a bit, but he kept calm. "Many people we know use our hospitals for their medical services, Father."

"That is true; however, I don't recall ever seeing a _Miss Haruhi Fujioka_ anywhere in our system."

All eyes turned to Kyoya as drops of sweat formed on his brow; the mention of her name could only be related to one topic.

Akito, Kyoya's second oldest brother and the family meddler, sat up straight. "That's the name of the scholarship student, isn't it?"

"Precisely."

"Yes, I've been helping her transition into school," Kyoya lied. However, with his brother's constant prying into his own life, Kyoya wasn't sure how realistic this sounded. Whatever lie he had to come up with, his father couldn't find out about the Host Club. Not this way, anyway. "Tutoring, helping her keep up with classes…"

"Well, I'm sure she'll have a lot more to keep up with than just school." _He knew_. "You may want to remind her that Ouran students have no business making frequent visits to the _obstetrics department_."

Kyoya's blood ran cold. Three pairs of eyes were on him. His father knew.

"That's...rather unfortunate." Kyoya hoped his uncertainty in his lying abilities were mistaken for genuine shock. "She's extremely bright; I'm sure even the smartest of people make mistakes."

Yoshio wiped his mouth with a napkin. "I'd hardly call that a mistake. However I _did_ notice the chairman's name attached to the billing statement. Such a bold move, paying for another student's medical expenses…"

"That's a rather generous thing to do," said Kyoya. Certainly his father and brothers weren't buying this.

"Yes; I'm honestly quite surprised. Who knows what else he'll do?"

Kyoya laughed nervously, and the Ootori men resumed normal business conversation.

* * *

As soon as the business dinner had been deemed over, Kyoya rushed to his room and grabbed his cell phone. Hastily opening the Messages app, he quickly typed a message to Tamaki.

 _My father knows_.

Not even a minute had passed before Tamaki responded.

 _Oh no._

* * *

Tamaki bolted down the hallway, glancing at his watch as he did so. _Twenty minutes until the lunch hour is up_. That was _plenty_ of time to tell his father, as long as he didn't sidestep the topic.

He didn't even stop, just wiped his brow as he barged into the office. "I need to see my father!"

The attending secretary looked up, bewildered. "The chairman's at a business luncheon; can I take a message?"

 _Fuck._ "No, I'll just—uh—talk—bye!" Tamaki gave the secretary a small wave as he ran back out of the office, internally screaming. _What am I going to do, what am I going to do, what am I going to do…?_

The luncheon for many of Suoh Enterprise's business partners had officially begun at noon, however the meal itself did not begin until approximately fifteen minutes later. As fate would have it, Mr. Suoh was to be seated next to Mr. Ootori for the next hour and a half.

The appetizer rolled out, a pâté de foie gras garnished with mushrooms and a small breadstick on the side. The majority of the guests began eating; Mr. Ootori, in contrast, immediately turned to his business partner once conversation had started up.

"You know," he told the other in a low voice, "it was rather generous of you to pay the medical bills for the scholarship student."

Yuzuru paused, his fork hovering over his plate. "I'm sorry, what?"

* * *

After a quick "thank you" directed at the chauffeur, Tamaki bolted inside the second mansion, the thought of telling his father the only thing on his mind. "I know, I'll just call him and tell him," he said to himself, nodding at the house staff before heading upstairs. "No, that's too informal. I'll invite him over—wait, he came over last night…"

He continued to think of a reasonable way to break the news as he walked down the hallway to his bedroom. He reached for the doorknob when another thought popped into his head. "I know! I can—Dad?"

"Hi, son." Yuzuru was seated in a plush chair on the far side of the room, his legs crossed and his hands clasped together. "How was your day today?"

"It was a...day?" Tamaki threw his bookbag onto the bed, confused. "What...what are you doing here?"

Mr. Suoh smiled and uncrossed his legs. "I believe _you_ have something to tell me, my dear."

A knot formed in Tamaki's stomach as he tried to find the right words. "Uh, um—don't you already know…?"

"Yes, but I want to hear it from _you_."

He didn't think this would be the way his dad would find out. His throat grew dry as the knot grew larger to the point where he felt like he was moments away from vomiting. Tamaki's palms became sweaty and he brought his hand up to his mouth, preparing to catch the vomit he wasn't sure would even come up.

"Haruhi's pregnant."

Yuzuru blinked and cocked his head, facial expression otherwise unchanged. "I'm sorry?"

Tamaki stared blankly. "That's...not what you came to talk to me about, wasn't it."

"No."

" _Shit_." Tamaki didn't even bother watching his language as Yuzuru took in the information. He began his now-regular nervous pacing while his father stayed seated in the chair.

The smile on Yuzuru's face quickly faded. "I _was_ going to ask why you used my credit card without asking first, but that doesn't particularly matter at the moment."

Tamaki threw his hands into the air in defeat, still pacing. "I was just trying to help out by eating some of the cost."

"So you're saying...the reason why you _used my credit card without telling me_ is because you were offering to pay the medical bills of someone who needed it."

"Yes."

"And I'm assuming you were the one who paid because the child is yours."

"Yes."

Yuzuru stared at the floor. "I must say, I'm rather disappointed," he sighed before making eye contact with his son. "And a scholarship student, too...I really thought Miss Fujioka was smarter than that."

The mention of Haruhi's surname brought Tamaki out of his pacing spell. "Dad, it wasn't her fault! I was the one who suggested we all take an end-of-summer-break trip back to Okinawa, just the seven of us. And things got out of hand, and...I honestly don't remember what happened."

Mr. Suoh closed his eyes at this remark. "Please tell Miss Fujioka I wish to speak to her father immediately regarding her status as a student of Ouran Academy."

"Dad, no—"

"I don't want to, but the school board expects me to do what is in Ouran's best interest."

"—Believe me, Haruhi _does not_ want to leave school. Kyoya said he'd take care of everything in relation to Haruhi continuing her education, and just needs your approval in keeping it from the rest of the staff—"

"The Ootoris know, of course." Yuzuru sighed and finally got up from the chair. "May I ask who else knows of this... _unfortunate_ fact?"

Tamaki couldn't believe this was actually happening. "Um, besides you and the Ootoris? Well, Haruhi's father, the rest of the Host Club—"

"So you told your friends before telling your own father," Yuzuru said, looking at Tamaki with distress. "Tamaki, I want to help you, I really do. But you need to understand that if you want my help, you have to trust me with some things. I appreciate your willingness to take responsibility for your actions, but this is one of those cases in which you should have come to me before making any kind of decision." He began to walk out of the room, but Tamaki grabbed his hand before he could do so.

"I'm sorry, Dad, I just...didn't want to disappoint you."

Mr. Suoh looked down at his son, the letdown visible in his eyes.

"It's a little too late for that."

* * *

 **(A/N) As always, reviews are appreciated! Honestly, seeing a review notification in my inbox absolutely makes my day. Feel free to share any type of comment, positive or negative!**


	8. In Good Conscience

**(A/N) Hi everyone! I'm still alive! Things have been really hectic lately—I just started college a month ago, have already switched my major, walk an average of 15,000 steps a day...I'm also taking Japanese, which isn't too hard, but I have to set aside time pretty much every night for studying/homework, so it's been hard to fit in time for writing, especially when all I want to do is lay in bed :) Not only that, I've been trying to write for another fic of mine that hasn't been updated since last October ^^;**

 **With that aside, I hope you all enjoy chapter 7 (8?)!**

* * *

The next morning, Tamaki quietly informed Haruhi of the previous evening's events, and reluctantly told her of the impending meeting between their fathers. Though understanding of the information, Haruhi forced herself to hold back tears as she bade Tamaki farewell until the afternoon.

The club meeting appeared normal as Haruhi walked into the Third Music Room that afternoon. She quietly put away her bag behind the curtain before brushing some hair out of her face and adjusting her uniform. It had become a tad too tight, and she was starting to get self conscious about it.

Before she could even begin to prepare for the day's meeting, Tamaki called her name. While this normally annoyed her to some extent, this on top of everything else that was going on only made her more irritated.

"What?" she sighed, hoping Tamaki would come to her rather than the other way around. When Tamaki walked over to the corner in which she was standing, she couldn't help but relax a bit.

"What's your schedule this week?" he asked, phone out and ready to write stuff down. His eagerness caught Haruhi a little off-guard, but she complied nonetheless.

"You know I have my next doctor's appointment Friday evening, but otherwise every other day is free after club meetings. Why?"

"I wanted us to talk to my dad sometime this week, before he talks to yours. Just so he can get your side of the story; maybe hearing it from you will change his mind—"

"Are you _sure_ that's a good idea? You just told him _yesterday_ ," Haruhi pointed out. "I don't want to aggravate the situation any further."

Tamaki rolled his eyes. "You won't _aggravate_ it," he scoffed. "We're going to talk to him on Saturday. You have a sonogram at this appointment, right? Maybe if we show him he'll be more open to it."

"What, more open to the fact that he's going to become a grandfather at the age of forty-something?"

"Look, that aside, let's just try our best, okay?"

* * *

The week dragged on before Friday finally rolled around, and Haruhi was as nervous as she could possibly be. Since school was still her primary focus, she tried not to talk about the situation, though it was always at the back of her mind. This being a doctor's appointment, however, would force her to think about it.

The Fujiokas' apartment had become the "agreed" meeting place, much to Haruhi's chagrin. Much like two weeks earlier, Haruhi couldn't stay still for more than a few minutes in anticipation of the evening's events. Ranka didn't have to work this night, but it was very obvious a baby was not something he wanted to talk about at the moment.

"Haruhi, come help me with dinner," Ranka called in an effort to calm his daughter's nerves. "You don't have to do much; just help me sautée these vegetables."

"Okay!" Haruhi responded, shutting a book she had picked up to pass the time.

She hurried into the kitchen, where Ranka was chopping carrots and onions. "Just put these in the pan," he told her, nodding towards the pile of already-chopped vegetables.

Things were fine until dinner had been finished, then Haruhi's nerves started up again. She opened the book from earlier—one she had read at _least_ twice—and picked up from the place she had left off, but couldn't keep her focus.

Finally she heard the long-awaited knock on the door, and ran to put on her shoes and answer the door.

"Hi," she said, a bit out of breath.

Tamaki blinked. "Are you ready?"

Haruhi nodded, and the two left the apartment and headed to the limo parked in front of the complex.

"After you." Tamaki gestured to the car, which Haruhi promptly climbed into. Tamaki slid in after her, and the chauffeur closed the door.

It wasn't until the limo had started to move when conversation began. "We're going to get to see it today," said Haruhi with uncertainty.

This remark caused Tamaki's demeanor to change entirely. "I can't wait," he told her, a large grin plastered across his face. "You know, it's already the size of a grape, and it has little arm and leg nubs, and it's gonna start looking like an actual person now, and—"

"You've _actually_ been doing research on this?!" Haruhi exclaimed. "I'm...really surprised."

Not that she was actually surprised Tamaki would be invested in this, it was just so different from his behavior at the previous appointment.

Tamaki smiled. "Of course I have; it's my baby too."

Maybe he had finally decided to follow her advice to take things seriously.

* * *

The two entered the hospital in a manner similar to the previous time, and were currently sitting in an exam room, waiting for Dr. Tsukuda to come in. Haruhi and Tamaki had otherwise just been making small talk, their entire relationship having become awkward since the "incident".

A knock was heard at the door before it promptly opened. "Good evening," said Dr. Tsukuda with a smile, peeking her head in to make sure she had the right room before entering and closing the door behind her. "How are things?"

Haruhi half-smiled. "Everything's...well."

"That is good to hear." The doctor pulled out a pen and prepared to write on the clipboard. "Okay, it looks like we're going to do a sonogram today, but I have to ask some questions first. Have you had any morning sickness?"

On the inside, Haruhi rolled her eyes; on the outside, she nodded. "Every single day," she sighed, "sometimes, all day."

"I can prescribe something if you'd like."

"Please."

Dr. Tsukuda nodded and proceeded to scribble a note onto Haruhi's file before turning to Tamaki. "And did you ever find out what disease or condition your mother has…?"

Tamaki tensed up, realizing he had forgotten to ask his father. "...I'm seeing him tomorrow; I'll ask him then."

Obviously irritated, Dr. Tsukuda nodded. "It's important you find out as soon as possible so we can run tests, if necessary."

"Yes, ma'am, I understand."

"Do I need to be taking any prenatal vitamins?" asked Haruhi.

"Yes," the doctor replied, "especially with all the... _risk factors_ involved. I'll write a prescription for those as well." She wrote more things down on the file before looking back up. "Alright, now that we have that taken care of, how would you two like to see your baby?"

* * *

Haruhi had reclined on an exam table, her shirt folded over her breasts as she waited for the ultrasound technician to begin. The sonogram machine was warming up, and Tamaki anxiously waited in a chair next to the exam table as he watched the technician's every move.

"This is probably going to feel very cold," the technician told Haruhi before squeezing a glob of gel onto her lower stomach. As expected, Haruhi flinched as the wand was moved around. The black and white image came up on the screen, and everyone eagerly watched as the technician found what she was looking for.

Tamaki and Haruhi gasped in awe. Tamaki had, surprisingly, been right—the baby _was_ roughly the size of a grape, and tiny arms and legs were beginning to form. Though Haruhi couldn't feel yet, it was very obviously moving and seemed to be very healthy.

"Everything looks great," said the technician, moving the wand a bit to get as better of a look as she could of one end. "This is the head," she told the other two, pointing, "and these are the arms, and the legs…"

Haruhi couldn't believe it. It all seemed real now. This was her baby. Hers and Tamaki's. Growing inside of her. And she was instantly in love.

When everything was finished, Haruhi and Tamaki received a copy of the sonogram before making their way up to the front desk to make the next appointment. Two weeks, since the pregnancy was being considered high risk. Once that was taken care of, they went out to wait for the chauffeur, feeling twice as excited as they had before the appointment.

After getting into the limousine, Tamaki immediately turned to Haruhi. "I can't believe it," he told her. "We're having a baby."

" _We're having a baby_ ," she repeated, things not really seeming real up until this point. "Just...wow."

Tamaki was all smiles, until he remembered something. "Oh. Um. We still need to talk to my dad."

Haruhi tried to hold her tongue, but couldn't. " _Shit_."

"Okay, how about this." Tamaki turned to Haruhi. "My dad works tomorrow until noon. What if I meet you at your apartment tomorrow morning around nine, then we go to my dad's office and talk to him?"

"Why don't we just wait until _after_ he finishes working? I wouldn't want to disturb him…"

"He never actually does any _work_ work on Saturdays, just organizational things… Come on. We'd get it over with."

Haruhi sighed. "Fine."

* * *

Haruhi couldn't believe she was about to talk to the chairman.

It wasn't school related, nor was it of her own accord.

She was about to talk to the chairman because Tamaki insisted on talking to him about their baby.

 _God, this is weird. I'm carrying the school board chairman's grandchild._

"Are you ready?" asked Tamaki, breaking Haruhi out of her thoughts.

"Hm?"

"Are you ready to go in?"

The knot in her stomach that had since disappeared quickly reformed. "I...guess so."

Tamaki nodded and knocked on the door. "Come in," called a voice from inside.

Motioning for Haruhi to stay, Tamaki cracked the door open and stuck his head inside. "Oh, Tamaki, I wasn't expecting you," his father said in a tone that could only be described as a mixture of surprise and disappointment. "Please, come in."

Tamaki glanced at Haruhi, indicating she should come inside the office as well. He opened the door wider and gestured for her to enter.

"...Miss Fujioka." Yuzuru tensed up in his seat, and his demeanor changed entirely. "I believe we have an important matter to discuss."

"That's...why we're here." Tamaki sat down, prompting Haruhi to do the same.

Yuzuru sighed. "I hope you two realize how serious of a situation this is," he firmly said. "Forgive me for being blunt, but various forms of birth control are available. What were you two thinking?"

Haruhi made quick eye contact with Tamaki before deciding to speak up. "Please excuse me, Mr. Chairman, but we weren't thinking; in fact, we were not _capable_ of thinking under the circumstances. Hence, the lack of safe sexual practice."

 _I can't believe you just told the school board chairman why you didn't use a condom._

There was a long pause before anyone said anything. "It is...rather unfortunate, but I understand, Miss Fujioka, that you and my son are set on keeping this child and providing it the best possible."

"Yes, sir."

"And I hope you know what implications this has, especially for the Suoh family."

"Yes, sir, and I apologize for the inconveniences."

" _Inconveniences_ is quite an understatement." Mr. Suoh sighed again before continuing. "I'm sure you're aware that we cannot possibly allow you to continue using your scholarship under the present circumstances."

This reminder caused Tamaki to begin freaking out. "But Dad, I already told you—"

" _Hush_ , I want to hear it from _her._ "

Haruhi shifted uncomfortably before agreeing. "Yes, sir. However, don't intend for this to prevent me from continuing with my education."

Yuzuru paused. "...Ouran Academy _does_ provide a computer-based learning program, but that is primarily used for students with extended illnesses or business-related situations that render them unable to attend classes on campus."

"But Dad, can't you make an exce—"

"Let me finish," Mr. Suoh sighed before continuing. "Miss Fujioka, I understand you are very serious about continuing your education, and despite these unforeseen circumstances, are still the top-ranking student in your class. And, partially because of my connection to the child, I am willing to make an exception."

Haruhi and Tamaki looked at each other in shock. "Are you...serious?" Haruhi exclaimed. "You aren't going to drop my scholarship?"

Yuzuru chuckled. "I could never do that in good conscience. How can I say 'no' to someone wanting to reach their academic goals?"

"Thank you so much, sir!" Haruhi jumped up and bowed deeply. "I don't know how I'll ever repay you!"

"You're giving me a grandchild; I think that's enough." Mr. Suoh smiled softly. "How...far along are you?"

"Eleven weeks."

Tamaki remembered the sonogram from the previous evening, and pulled it out of his pocket and sat it on his father's desk. "Here it is."

Yuzuru picked up the sonogram off the desk and looked at it. "I see," he said, smiling before returning the picture to his son.

Haruhi was about to say something, but Yuzuru began to talk before she could say anything. "While I _am_ being quite generous, I hope you two realize you must make every effort to hide this from my mother." He turned to Tamaki. "Especially you, Tamaki. I really want you to try to develop a positive relationship with her for the next several months. She will obviously find out eventually, but I'd like for the relationship between the two of you to at least be somewhat positive to lessen the blow."

"Yes, sir."

Mr. Suoh stood up and adjusted his suit jacket. "Well, thank you both for taking the time to talk to me. Miss Fujioka, I will be speaking to your father soon to discuss the situation further."

"Thank you so much, sir!" Haruhi stood and bowed again.

"Oh, it's nothing. I suppose I will see both of you in the near future."

And with that, Haruhi was sure her place at Ouran Academy had been saved.

* * *

 **(A/N) Reviews are always appreciated! This story is also on my AO3 (MiyaWritesThings), so drop a kudos there if you'd like!**


	9. Double Ouch

**(A/N) So, let me start off by apologizing for the huge lack of updates ^^; My laptop died and I had to get a new one, I had my first mental/emotional meltdown of my college career, and the little piece of me that cares about college football is pissed off about the Iron Bowl. Is there anything you guys are hoping will happen? Feel free to leave comments!**

 **Anyway, there's only two more weeks until finals! I don't plan on writing anything between now and then so I can focus on things I actually should be writing (read: 8-page research paper), as well as studying for said finals. I know for sure I want to update sometime around Christmastime, so be on the lookout!**

* * *

 ** _~Two weeks later~_**

With the help of Tamaki's father, Kyoya had finalized Haruhi's study arrangements for the coming months, and had solidified the cover story for her absence. Although they were the ones who took care of most of it, Kyoya had one rule: "In order for this to be believable, you must play along." Within days, the news of Haruhi's "study abroad venture in Boston" had spread, first through her class, then through the regular guests, and eventually through most of the high school.

"I hate you're going to miss the Halloween celebration next week!" Kimiko whined, a frown on her face. "Do you _have_ to leave this weekend?"

"My living arrangements have already been finalized," Haruhi quickly said, trying to dance around the topic of her sudden departure. "I'd _love_ to stay through Halloween, but unfortunately it would be too much of a hassle to change my move-in date, purchase new plane tickets…"

"I don't mean to intrude upon the conversation," said Kyoya, suddenly appearing behind the group, "but you certainly wouldn't want the next few Host Club events to have to be rescheduled, would you?"

Haruhi's regulars immediately voiced their objections to any events being moved; Haruhi gave Kyoya a thankful glance.

"Really, all my plans are set in stone, and I'd rather not interfere with them," she reiterated. She suddenly felt her stomach churning and, knowing what that foreshadowed, immediately stood up. "Excuse me for a moment."

By this point the Host Club knew where Haruhi was going if she suddenly left, and paid little attention as she exited the room. She managed to quietly slip into the men's restroom and quickly emptied the contents of her stomach, then washed her hands before heading back to Music Room #3.

Haruhi's venture from the restroom back to the Host Club had her cross paths with someone she had rather not meet. "Ah, Fujioka-san!"

Haruhi turned around, only for her eyes to fall upon the Newspaper Club president. "Komatsuzawa-san?"

The latter caught up with Haruhi and glanced at his watch. "Do you have a minute?"

Haruhi furrowed her eyebrows. "For…?" she cautiously asked.

"I'd like to grab a really quick interview before you leave this weekend," he told her, slightly out of breath from running. "About your...studying abroad."

She opened her mouth to politely decline, but Kyoya's sly voice popped into her head. " _In order for this to be believable, you must play along." Shit._ Instead, the corners of her mouth curled upward into a grin. "I'd love to."

As soon as she agreed to Akira's request, Haruhi remembered the incident at the beginning of the summer. Before Tamaki's insisted return trip to Okinawa. _Before any of this happened._ The incident where the Newspaper Club attempted to "expose" Tamaki and the Host Club, and would have succeeded if it weren't for Kyoya.

"Shit."

"I'm sorry, did you say something?"

"Yes, ah...sit. Let's find someplace to sit down." Haruhi smiled in attempt to hide her nervousness.

Akira smiled back. "That is an accommodation I can provide."

The two took a seat on a bench near the end of the hall and Akira pulled out his notebook, ready to jot down tidbits of information. "Let's begin. When did you first become interested in studying abroad?"

 _When that became my only way "out" of this situation_. Haruhi thought for a moment, trying to create a believable answer to Akira's inquiry. "Really, I've always been interested, but after I came to Ouran and came into contact with so many well-travelled people, I decided it was something I definitely wanted to do."

Akira made a few notes in his notebook before continuing. "What made you choose Boston over someplace such as...Los Angeles, for example?"

 _What do I know about Boston…_ "I...know it's a city with a deep connection to American history. And they had the program I wanted."

Akira seemed to take no notice of her hesitation and wrote down her response. "And where is the money to fund this coming from?"

 _That's a rude question_. "The chairman."

Looking up from his notepad, Akira cocked his head. "The chairman?"

Haruhi realized her mistake and coughed. "I'm sorry, I meant my scholarship. My scholarship granted by the chairman."

"I didn't think the particular scholarship you're on covers such ventures…?"

"It does."

"…I see." He made note of this before continuing. "Now, I understand you've become quite popular in the Host Club. Do you think your absence will affect the popularity of the Host Club overall, how many customers the club will get…?"

 _I hope not_. "It's not foreseeable," Haruhi told him. "I actually encourage my regular customers to hop around a bit; see if there's someone else you might like. I could maybe even do a few Skype or FaceTime calls at some point."

"Hmm, that sounds like it could be interesting," Akira commented in a tone that Haruhi was unable to decipher. He continued to jot down a few things before flipping the notepad's cover over and sticking the pen through the spiral. "It was great getting to talk to you. I'm glad I could squeeze an interview in before you leave."

Haruhi smiled, albeit a bit suspiciously. "Anytime."

As soon as Akira was out of sight, Haruhi began to panick. _What did I just do?!_ she thought, her mind immediately jumping back to what Akira had said. "… _that sounds like it could be interesting."_ Despite Kyoya's previous threats, what if the Newspaper Club decided to get back at the Host Club again? And if they did, what if they did it by exposing Haruhi?

Haruhi dashed back to the Third Music Room, both itching and reluctant to tell Kyoya of another possible scheme to ruin her cover. She threw open the doors, catching the attention of nearly everyone in the room.

"Haruhi?" asked Tamaki, visibly perplexed. "You were gone for a long time; are you alright?"

Haruhi stopped to catch her breath, which had very quickly become a normal occurrence, much to her dismay. "Interview," she managed to get out, while at the same time trying to appear like nothing was wrong. "Newspaper Club. I need to—talk to Kyoya. Now."

The hour was almost up for the customers, and as soon as it was over Kyoya pulled Haruhi aside. "Why did you agree to _anything_ suggested by the Newspaper Club president?" he asked sternly.

Haruhi knew this was bad news, and despite her usual carefree demeanor began to panic. "I'm sorry!" she cried. "I panicked, and I have all these weird hormones now, and I'm really stressed about everything, and—"

"Calm down, Haruhi; jeez," Hikaru told her as he walked by.

Kyoya returned his gaze to Haruhi before continuing. "I know they agreed to stop reporting false information, but I still don't trust them. In this case, it's not _false_ information we're worried about, it's the _truth_."

Haruhi swallowed. "I tried to make my answers as believable as possible."

" _As possible_ ," repeated Kyoya. "Haruhi, you're typically very bright and intelligent, but I have to admit this is one of the stupidest things you've done while in this club."

Haruhi didn't know how to respond. _Ouch._ "Pregnancy brain is real," she simply responded, not knowing what else to say.

"Indeed. Which is why it's a good thing you're leaving school when the week is up."

 _Double ouch_.

"That aside," Kyoya continued, "I think it would be a safe move to add another layer of believability to your cover story."

"How so?"

Kyoya adjusted his glasses, the light from the chandeliers glaring off the lenses. "How much would you mind taking a short excursion to Boston?"

* * *

 ** _~That Friday~_**

The rest of the week flew by and before anyone knew it, the goodbye party was upon them. The Host Club had seen the largest influx of customers yet, mainly due to those who had been interested in checking out the Host Club but had no motivation to do so until now.

Haruhi had been mostly talking to her regulars, but had met a few new customers as well as some who usually requested other Hosts. So far, her last day at Ouran (for a while, at least) had gone swimmingly for the most part, and she made sure to savor every single moment of it

She had taken a quick break from talking to customers, and was pouring some freshly brewed tea into teacups for other guests. As she set down the teapot, she heard the door to the room creak open.

"Haruhi-kun!"

Haruhi turned her head, recognizing the voice but not immediately pinning it to its owner. "Renge-chan?" she exclaimed once she matched the voice to the face. "You're still here? I thought you went back to France…"

Renge giggled. "Of course not; I've just been _extremely_ busy with schoolwork! I just haven't had the time to help manage the Host Club…"

The mention of Renge's self-appointed position within the Host Club reminded Haruhi of another particular problem both she and everyone else had previously forgotten to address. _Renge has a bad habit of getting into other people's business...what happens when she gets into_ my _business…?_

This caused her to have a realization. _She's pretty dense, but...either she finds out or we tell her._

"Forgive me, Renge-chan, but I need to speak to the other Hosts really fast. Excuse me." Haruhi stood and approached the other Hosts, asking them for a quick word.

All the Hosts gathered in a group away from the customers. "Is something wrong?" Tamaki asked her.

Haruhi shook her head and took a deep breath. "I think Renge should know what's going on," she told everyone.

Her opinion was immediately met with protest from every single one of the other Hosts. So many voices speaking at once, combined with the small talk between the customers, added to the already-tense situation, and Haruhi was unable to get her reasoning in.

" _Hush_!" The six other Hosts ceased talking and looked at her. Haruhi swallowed before continuing. "She is the _self-proclaimed manager_. Even though she's done absolutely _nothing_ , and seems to disappear and come back at random intervals, _and_ is annoying as _heck_ , she's still linked to the Host Club. I think we should tell her."

Everyone sighed. "Very well," Kyoya said. "I'm not going to stop you."

Haruhi cleared her throat before walking up to the intended person. "Renge," she stated, "I need to talk to you."

Renge gasped, eyes lighting up. "Oh. Alright then." She was unusually calm, considering how she normally acted around the Host Club members. Maybe this would make things easier…?

There was an awkward pause as Renge waited for Haruhi to begin. "Um, would you mind if we went into the back room?" asked Haruhi once she realized Renge was waiting for her.

"Of course."

Haruhi briskly walked to the double doors that led into the prep room and opened one. Despite the stress of the current situation, she couldn't forget her Host Club manners—"After you," she said to Renge, opening the door a bit wider.

Once the two were inside the prep room Haruhi walked to a back corner, prompting Renge to follow. For a minute she struggled to find her words, before finally clearing her throat.

"Renge-chan," she uneasily began, "I've…been hiding something for a while now, and since you're the…Host Club's assistant manager, I feel like you should know."

Renge's already-attentive eyes widened even further as she took in a deep breath. "Oh, Haruhi-kun, I _knew_ you felt the same way!"

Haruhi's blood ran cold. _Renge…thought I was confessing to her?!_

"Ah—uh—Renge-chan, that's…not what I brought you back here to tell you."

The light was wiped from Renge's face and her shoulders fell. "…Oh."

Haruhi sadly nodded. "Yeah." She paused, searching for the right words to say. "I really don't know the right way to put this, so I'm just going to tell you." She looked around for any listening ears, before leaning in a little bit closer and bringing her voice down to a whisper. "I'm actually a…girl."

Renge gave Haruhi a confused look before bursting into laughter. "Haruhi-kun, you don't need to try to make me feel better by coming up with strange excuses."

"No, really; I'm serious," Haruhi responded, digging around in her pocket for her wallet. "Here, look," she said, pulling out her middle school ID card that she still kept in there for who knows what reason.

Carefully taking the card from Haruhi, Renge scanned it up and down before processing that what she had been told was indeed true. "Oh my god," she gasped, "you're actually serious."

Haruhi nodded, taking the card back. "You cannot tell _anyone_. Not your parents, not your closest friends, absolutely _no one_ can know about this, okay?"

Renge nodded, not really knowing what else to say or do. Haruhi, however, hadn't even gotten to the hardest part about this whole thing, and was scrambling to find the last bit of courage she had left.

"There's—something else, too." Haruhi hesitated, butterflies forming in her stomach as a lump formed in her throat. "I'm…not leaving because I'm studying abroad. I'm leaving because—"

No matter how hard she tried, Haruhi couldn't get the words out. There was something about it that prevented her from telling Renge the truth. Perhaps it was because she had just revealed her other big secret, perhaps it was because it was Renge she was talking to—either way, she just couldn't.

"Because what?" asked Renge. "It's all right; you can tell me. I can keep it a secret if you need me to."

Haruhi broke eye contact and folded her arms across her chest. Why was this ten times harder than telling four other people at once?!

"I'm going to have a baby."

Renge's face went blank as she processed the information that had just been given to her.

"You're supposed to be telling me you love me, not that you're a promiscuous slut!" Her voice was low, but the anger and disappointment was very obvious. She clenched her fists and began to walk away, but stopped short and turned around. "Oh, and in case you're wondering—I'm _not_ going to tell anyone." Despite this somewhat positive information, Haruhi felt defeated as she watched Renge exit the room in a huff.

Haruhi's last day at school had not gone well _at all._

* * *

 **(A/N) I'm going to be honest, that took a turn from where I thought the story was going to go!**

 **Feel free to leave any type of review! I appreciate any and all feedback :)**


	10. Twice the Work

That weekend began like any other weekend would, and felt like any other as well, until Haruhi remembered what events had happened during the past week. Just the thought of the _peopl_ e made her roll over and groan, burying her head under the blanket in an attempt to physically block out the memories.

Kyoya had squeezed in another doctor's appointment for the following Thursday, just to make sure everything was looking okay before the so-called "emergency excursion". Haruhi was scheduled to fly to Boston Friday morning, should the doctor's visit go as planned. Originally she wanted her father to accompany her as a last "father-daughter" bonding experience, but Ranka declined and insisted Tamaki should go. Once Yuzuru got wind of the situation, he immediately called up one of his business partners and booked a suite at their five-star hotel chain's Boston location.

Haruhi finally threw the covers off and checked her phone. 10:24 a.m. _As much as I want to, I can't lay here all day_ , she thought, stretching her arms and legs before getting up. _What to do, what to do_ … She had already wrapped up her coursework from her last week of physical classes, and nothing had been assigned in her online ones. Homework was off the table. Ranka had left about an hour earlier to run a few errands, so Haruhi was home alone for the time being.

 _If this is what every day is going to be like for the next six months, I'd rather die._ Not literally, of course, but having a routine kept Haruhi going. Now that she wouldn't be going to school or the Host Club, she didn't really know what she'd be doing with her time, besides her online work and the biweekly doctor's appointments. It wasn't like she could exactly hang out with her friends from middle school, either, and she wasn't exactly sure how often the Host Club members would drop by (besides Tamaki, of course). In all honesty, she was looking forward to Boston.

A small knock snapped Haruhi out of her thoughts, and she wasn't even sure if it was real until she heard it again. _Did Dad forget his key again?_ she thought as she hurried to answer it.

Haruhi cracked the door open and gasped at who it was, opening the door a little wider. "Is this the right one?" the guest said, frantically glancing down at her phone to make sure.

"Renge-chan?" Haruhi made eye contact with the other girl and realized why she wasn't recognized. "Oh my god, I'm sorry I look terrible. I don't have my contacts in yet...please, come in."

Renge uncomfortably smiled and followed Haruhi inside. She was about to step up into the apartment from the entryway, but was quickly stopped. "Ah—please take off your shoes."

"Oh, right. I'm sorry." Renge slipped off her shoes before stepping up and cautiously followed Haruhi.

"I'm sorry about the mess; we weren't expecting visitors any time soon…" Haruhi paused. "Why...did you come here? How did you get my address?"

"I asked Kyoya-sama." Renge sighed and looked down at her feet. "I came to apologize. I'm really sorry about what I said on Friday. I didn't mean any of it; it was just a lot to take in and I didn't know how to respond."

Haruhi gasped. "Oh, Renge-chan, it's fine; I understand."

"Everything I said about you being promiscuous and a slut, I honestly don't know what I was thinking—if anything, you're the exact opposite. I'm sincerely sorry about all of it," the blonde said. She reached into her handbag and pulled out a small package. "Please accept my apology," she told Haruhi as she held out the gift for her to take.

"That's very thoughtful of you, but you didn't have to do that," Haruhi politely declined.

"No, I insist." Renge continued to hold out the gift. "I acted very rudely, and besides, you're going through so much right now."

Haruhi sighed. "If you insist...thank you."

She took the small package from Renge's hands and untied the picture-perfect bow. The moment her eyes saw the Hermés Paris logo, however, she knew she was in for a treat.

"Renge-chan!" gasped Haruhi as she lifted a pair of booties from the box. "These are so cute!"

Renge smiled. "I'm sure you would want something for the baby. I figured you probably don't know if it's a boy or a girl yet, so I tried to get something gender-neutral."

"They're perfect!" Haruhi beamed and carefully put them back into the box. "I'll have to send a picture of them to Tamaki; I'm sure he'll _love_ them—"

"Tamaki…?"

Haruhi remembered that while she _had_ told Renge she was pregnant, she had failed to mention by whom. "Oh...yeah. Tamaki." She smiled sheepishly. "I'm the mom, he's the dad…"

Renge took a second to process this, but ended up smiling. "That's understandable. I always noticed the feelings you had for each other."

Haruhi's face went red. "No, no, no! We're just friends, that's all!"

Laughing, Renge briefly checked her phone. "Oh, I need to get going. Sorry for dropping by without any notice."

"Oh, no, it's fine," replied Haruhi.

Smiling, Renge closed her bag. "When do you go back to school?"

Haruhi thought for a moment. "Probably not until mid-May at the earliest. The baby's due on May 6th, give or take a few weeks."

"I'd love to keep in touch until then. Feel free to call or text any time." Renge smiled once more. "Well, I'd best be going. I'm happy we could get things cleared up."

"Me too," Haruhi said, smiling as well. "Thank you so much for the gift."

"Of course." Renge turned to leave, but stopped before putting on her shoes. "Be sure to let me know what the baby is when you find out!"

The mention of this made Haruhi realize that she had never actually thought about the baby's sex. "...Yeah!"

Renge waved. "Goodbye!"

Haruhi waved back and shut the door behind Renge. She sighed as she looked down at the box in her hands. "Now, what am I going to do with _this_?"

* * *

 _~Friday~_

Dr. Tsukuda gave Haruhi the "okay" to travel, but gave her a long list of tips, things to pack, and emergency contact information in case something went wrong. As soon as Haruhi arrived home after the appointment, she immediately began to go over her packing list, making sure everything she needed was in her suitcase, and made a quick trip to the nearest convenience store to grab a few of the things Dr. Tsukuda recommended. The flight was scheduled to leave at 6 a.m. to arrive in Boston around 7:30 the next morning (technically the same day), so there was absolutely no time to account for anything forgotten.

After a tearful goodbye from her father, Haruhi joined Tamaki in his limousine at around three in the morning. "Are you ready?" Tamaki asked cheerfully, once Haruhi was seated next to him.

"I guess," Haruhi yawned. "How are you so awake? When did you go to sleep?"

"Oh, for the past four days I've been on Boston time outside of school," Tamaki replied, smiling. "Don't worry, the airplane will adjust the lighting accordingly. There's no time for jet lag!"

"Maybe for you." Haruhi closed her eyes, yawned again, and leaned onto Tamaki's shoulder.

Tamaki was a bit taken aback at this, but softly smiled. "I'll wake you up when we get to the airport."

* * *

"Please, let me carry something," Haruhi begged Tamaki. The two had just checked their luggage at the ticketing desk, and were on their way to the security checkpoint. "You're carrying _four_ bags."

"I've got it," Tamaki insisted as Haruhi's crossbody slipped off his shoulder. "You don't need to be carrying heavy things."

"My bags are not _heavy_ , and I am perfectly capable of carrying them on my own." She brought her voice down to a whisper. "Besides, people are staring at us. It looks like I'm making you my pack mule."

The mention of this caused Tamaki to immediately hand over Haruhi's crossbody. "This is the lightest one. I _promise_ , I have everything else."

Haruhi rolled her eyes, and the two continued to airport security.

Due to Tamaki's elite status, he and Haruhi were able to go through a "fast pass"-type security screening reserved especially for first- and business-class passengers. The security agents didn't even question Haruhi's request for a pat-down over a full-body scan, and she and Tamaki were out of security within minutes.

The two barely had time to stop and rest in the first-class lounge before they were called for boarding. Unsurprisingly, there was only one other person flying first class, so it was almost like Haruhi and Tamaki had the first-class section to themselves.

After being shown to their seats and greeted by several flight attendants, the two were able to get settled—in Tamaki's case, talk to Haruhi. "So what do you want to do when we get there?" he asked her. "Do you want to visit museums, or historical sites, or—"

"I just realized something," interrupted Haruhi. "My English _sucks_."

* * *

The flight was rather long, but uneventful. They arrived in Boston right on schedule, and were the first to disembark the plane. After grabbing their luggage from the baggage claim, Tamaki and Haruhi met with a chauffeur whom Yuzuru had reserved in place of a taxi.

After a surprisingly short journey, the limousine rolled to a stop in front of a large marble-clad building. Haruhi slouched down a little, trying to find the top of the hotel through the window. " _This_ is where we're staying?!" she exclaimed in disbelief, turning to Tamaki.

Tamaki shrugged. "It's owned by one of my father's business partners. He was the one who booked the reservation."

The limo driver opened the rear door and Tamaki got out. He said something to the driver before heading inside, leaving Haruhi in her seat.

A few minutes later, Tamaki returned. "All good to go," he smiled, flashing the hotel room keycards. "Room 1508."

The limousine driver popped the trunk open and walked around to help Haruhi and Tamaki with their bags. After Tamaki thanked him and gave him a tip, he picked up both his and Haruhi's bags off the ground, barely able to carry them all.

"I've got my bags," Haruhi told him, ready to take them from his hands. "They're not heavy at all."

" _No_ , I've got them. You can take the room keys."

Haruhi took the small envelope from Tamaki's hands, but still wasn't ready to give up. " _Let me carry my bags._ I'm not helpless."

"Yes, but you're pregnant."

"The two words are _not_ synonymous."

Tamaki pursed his lips together, thinking, before giving up and handing Haruhi her luggage. "I'll let you carry them inside, but you're _not_ going to do any heavy lifting."

Almost as if on cue, a bellhop came out the front entrance with a luggage cart. "May I help you with your bags, sir?" he asked Tamaki.

"Oh! Thank you." Tamaki watched as the bellhop placed the luggage onto the cart. The bellhop rolled the cart inside and to the elevator. "Floor 15, please," Tamaki told him.

Once they arrived at room 1508, the bellhop unloaded the luggage, and Tamaki thanked him and slid a ten-dollar bill into his hand. The bellhop tipped his hat and began to walk away, and Tamaki turned to Haruhi. "You have the key, right?"

"You handed it to me before we came inside." Haruhi swiped the keycard through the reader and opened the door at the flash of the green light.

She and Tamaki stepped in. As expected, there were more lavish versions of the standard hotel necessities: lamps, a dresser, a television, a desk. A modest-sized chandelier hung from the center of the ceiling, and a large window overlooked the streets of Boston. To the left, a kitchenette with a microwave and refrigerator; opposite the room, a sofa. There was one thing wrong, however—in the bedroom, a single king-sized bed in place of two doubles.

"Um." Haruhi didn't quite know what to say. The luxurious hotel suite was much higher than her standards and she was definitely grateful, but the single bed caught her off-guard.

Tamaki blinked. "There's...only one bed."

"I can see that."

As Haruhi dragged her bags inside, Tamaki eyed the phone on the desk. "There _has_ to be some mistake in the reservation. I'm going to call the front desk to make sure."

"Have fun," said Haruhi as she set her backpack down in a chair.

Tamaki dialed the front desk number. "Hi, this is the front desk," a female voice said, "how may I help you?"

"Hello," said Tamaki, "I was wondering if you could double-check a reservation and see if it's correct."

"Certainly," the lady responded. "What's the name and room number?"

"Suoh, room 1508."

"Okay, hold on a second." Tamaki could hear the sound of typing on a keyboard as he waited. "Ah, here it is… Suoh, party of two, the Executive Suite, room 1508. Everything is correct."

Tamaki's face went blank. "I see. Thank you."

He hung up and turned around. "That bastard."

"What?" Haruhi asked.

Tamaki smiled sarcastically. "This _is_ the right room. I think I'll have to make a quick phone call to my father."

"Great…"

Tamaki immediately went to his phone and dialed his dad's number. "What time is it there…" he mumbled to himself, praying his dad would pick up so he could get the whole situation resolved.

He heard a click on the other end of the line. "Hello?" asked a groggy voice.

"Dad?"

"Tamaki, it's almost midnight here," Yuzuru groaned. "I have work tomorrow morning. Why are you calling?"

Tamaki grimaced. "We just got checked in at the hotel," he told him. "There's kind of...a problem."

"What kind of problem?" Yuzuru yawned.

" _Someone_ booked a room with only one bed."

Yuzuru sighed. "Tamaki, I assumed the only reason why the two of you were going together was so you could _bond_."

"We can do that _without sharing a bed_."

"What? It's not like you haven't done that before, I'm assuming."

Tamaki's face flushed, and he immediately searched for a way to end the conversation. "Dad, you need to go to bed. Have a good night."

"Goodnight, Tamaki."

Tamaki ended the call and tossed the phone onto the bed. "Well?" asked Haruhi.

Tamaki flashed an irritated grin. "Which side of the bed would you like?"

* * *

The next few days were an absolute blur. Apart from running between every tourist-y location they could, Haruhi had to stop at nearly every one to record a short video. Kyoya suggested Haruhi record a few video messages to make her time in Boston seem legitimate; she was trying to get as many quality recordings as she could since do-overs were near-impossible after she left.

It was now Sunday evening, the last full day the two had in the City on a Hill. After spending all morning exploring the campus of Harvard and a lunch at a seafood restaurant, Haruhi and Tamaki headed back to downtown Boston to knock out a final few sights before dinner.

Tamaki insisted on an Italian restaurant his father had eaten at on one of his business trips. However, it was on the nicer side, so he recommended they head back to the hotel to shower and change.

"You... _did_ bring some nicer clothes, right?" Tamaki asked Haruhi as he opened the wardrobe to search for the business-casual attire he had brought. "There are restaurants that can literally deny you entry if you aren't dressed according to the dress code."

"My dad was one step ahead of you." Haruhi held up a pink frock that had been tucked into her suitcase before she left. "I don't remember the last time I wore it, but it should still fit, since I'm not showing that much…"

"It'll work." Tamaki laid his clothes out on the bed. "You shower first. I don't mind."

"Are you sure?"

"Go ahead."

About ten minutes later, Haruhi came out of the bathroom, hair still a bit damp and wearing the pink dress packed by her father. Tamaki tried his hardest to keep his cool, but eventually felt his face warming. "You look nice."

"Thanks," replied Haruhi nonchalantly as she went over to her backpack.

Without saying anything, Tamaki grabbed his clothes and went straight into the bathroom.

After a quick shower and an even faster blow-dry, Tamaki got dressed and went back into the bedroom to finish getting ready. Haruhi was flipping through some brochures, trying her hardest to understand every word. Once she noticed Tamaki was finished, she put down the brochure she was reading and stood up. "Are you ready?"

"Yep." Tamaki slid on his shoes, and Haruhi did the same.

"Oh, let me grab my jacket." Haruhi began to reach for her jacket, but stopped abruptly.

"Haruhi?"

Haruhi stared at the wall, struggling to process what was happening. She recognized her field of vision slowly getting smaller, the room suddenly becoming hot.

"Haruhi?" Tamaki repeated. "Are you alright?"

Haruhi blinked. "I need to...sit down…"

Tamaki immediately ran to grab Haruhi's shoulders to steady her as he helped her sit down on the bed. "Haruhi, is everything okay?" he asked.

"I...think I'm going to pass out…"

Immediately after speaking, Haruhi's eyes rolled back and she collapsed onto the bed.

"Haruhi?!" Tamaki grabbed her wrist to check for a pulse. Once he had identified that she _had_ fainted and hadn't died, he began to panic further. "Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god…" He frantically ran around the room, rummaging through every single piece of luggage there, until he found the folder containing the doctor's contact information.

"Please pick up, please pick up," he mumbled as the phone continued to ring. Much to his relief, the phone on the other end was answered.

"Thank you for calling the Ootori Medical emergency line," a voice said. "How may I help you?"

"I need to speak with Dr. Tsukuda immediately."

"I'm sorry, sir, this is the _emergency_ line—"

"This _is_ an emergency, and I need to speak with her."

"Sir," repeated the voice, "if you need to reach Dr. Tsukuda, you can call the main hospital number and dial extension—"

Tamaki held his breath. "My name is Tamaki Suoh. I'm a friend of the Ootori's youngest son. Now, may I _please_ speak with Dr. Tsukuda?"

This shut the phone operator up. "Certainly. Please hold while I transfer the call."

"Thank you." Tamaki felt kind of bad using his credentials to bypass normal procedures, but felt it was necessary due to the situation. After several long seconds of a dial tone, the phone was picked up.

"Hi, this is Dr. Tsukuda," said the doctor, "how may I help?"

"Um, hi," Tamaki stuttered, "I'm calling about Haruhi Fujioka—"

"Ah, yes," Dr. Tsukuda said. "How is everything? Is everything alright?"

Tamaki glanced back to Haruhi, who was still lying on the bed, though visibly breathing and fairly pink. "Well, everything was fine until today; we were about to go to dinner and then she fainted..."

"Is she conscious now?"

"Not yet, but she's breathing."

"Did she hit anything?"

"No, she was sitting down when she fainted."

"Has she had enough water to drink? Dehydration can cause fainting, especially during pregnancy."

Tamaki thought back through the past few days, and honestly couldn't recall a time Haruhi had had anything to drink other than at meals and during some restroom breaks. "Now that I think about it, probably not."

"Okay, and how much rest has she been getting?"

"Hmm, probably around seven hours a night—"

"Not sleep, rest. During the day."

Tamaki pursed his lips together, feeling embarrassed. "Well...to be honest, we've been doing stuff from the time we've gotten up to the time we've gone to bed..."

Dr. Tsukuda was silent for a few moments. "...I see. That plus dehydration is _not_ a good combination _at all._ If the body is working too hard without the proper fuel, you can pass out—especially with a baby, she's doing twice the work."

Tamaki's heart sank; he felt this was essentially all his fault. "What...would you recommend?"

"Well, if you're especially concerned, a hospital visit might be a good idea," Dr. Tsukuda told him. "Though, Americans don't have national health insurance, so it's likely to be quite expensive. Otherwise, I'd just advise she drink a lot of liquids and take it easy for the rest of today and tomorrow, especially on the flight. When you get back, I'd also like to do some bloodwork and an ultrasound just to double-check that everything's okay. Believe me, fainting or feeling faint during pregnancy is quite common, but it never hurts to make sure there aren't any serious problems."

"I understand. When would be a good time for the appointment?"

Dr. Tsukuda clicked her tongue as she went through her calendar on the computer. "Would Wednesday evening at six work?"

"That's perfect." Tamaki once again glanced back at Haruhi, who was now beginning to stir. "Oh! It looks like she's waking up. Thank you for your help."

"You're welcome. Please call back if you need anything else. Otherwise, I'll see you on Wednesday. Have a nice day."

"Thank you." Tamaki hung up and immediately turned all his attention to Haruhi.

Her breathing began to normalize, and she finally took a deep breath before opening her eyes.

"Haruhi!" Tamaki exclaimed, sitting on the bed to assist Haruhi if she needed him to. "How are you feeling?"

Haruhi blinked before cautiously sitting up. "I'm...okay, I guess." She rubbed her face. "Jeez, I've never fainted before..."

"Okay, you know you fainted; that's good," sighed Tamaki. "I talked to Dr. Tsukuda. She told me fainting is generally not something to worry about if you didn't hit anything, but she wants to see you Wednesday evening to make sure everything is okay."

"You talked to...the doctor?"

"I just got off the phone with her. She said you probably fainted because we've been doing so much and you haven't had time to rest or drink enough water."

Haruhi took a few seconds to process this information. "Let me get this straight: you called the _doctor_ , who is currently on the _other side of the world_ , instead of calling the local emergency services?"

"I'm sorry! I—I panicked, okay?"

Haruhi let out a sigh of frustration. "If you're so panicked about lack of rest and dehydration, how panicked will you be when I go into labor?"

This reminder hit Tamaki like a brick, and he temporarily put all his feelings aside to focus on the moment. "Okay. Let's forget about dinner tonight. The doctor said you need to drink water and avoid excessive movement. I'm going to walk around and see what places I can get food from to bring back here." He began to reach for his jacket.

"Wait a second," laughed Haruhi, her demeanor changing entirely, " _you're_ getting _takeout_?"

"What? I can get takeout if I want to." Tamaki grabbed his jacket and put it on.

"No, I mean that _there's a restaurant in the hotel that has room service_."

Tamaki inhaled sharply and quickly took off his jacket. "I knew that. I just thought you'd want something besides steak…"

"Just because it's called a steakhouse doesn't mean it only has steak."

Tamaki thought for a moment. "You know what?" He took Haruhi's hand and helped her stand up. "We're already dressed. I know I promised Italian, but...let's go downstairs and have the nice dinner I said we would."

* * *

 **(A/N) Is mid-January around Christmastime...?**

 **So! I apologize that this chapter took a lot longer than I said it would. I wrote myself into a lot of dead ends with this one, and I had to do a lot of "sleeping on it" to get things done. But on the bright side, I survived the last semester! This next one seems a lot more promising, since I'm taking lots more interesting classes. On Friday I got to look at Medieval manuscripts—how cool is that?! also the national championship game was a wild ride but we won so it's okay**

 **Anyway! I've already started the next chapter! It's going to introduce a manga-only character whom I love dearly and really wish made it into the anime, but that gives me more to work with as far as my own characterization :)**

 **I'm on tumblr! I really appreciate it when people talk to me :) My username is** merryvrismas _; **feel free to follow or message me! I'm pretty much a "whatever the heck I feel like posting" blog with multifandom stuff dispersed throughout,**_

 **If you enjoyed this chapter, please leave a review!**


	11. Less Than Ideal

**(A/N) hello yes i am alive but school is a thing which is why i haven't updated in a while**

 **Anyway this month is Camp NaNoWriMo! My goal is 5,000 words which really isn't much, but should be at _least_ another chapter. The next few chapters should have a lot more plot exposition and fun stuff, so stay tuned!**

* * *

" _One week's bed rest, Miss Fujioka. Just to make sure that the health of both you and your baby isn't compromised."_

It was now Friday—day two of what Haruhi had come to deem "Hell Week". One week of doing absolutely nothing productive, at least in her opinion. _But you can still do homework!_ Ranka happily told her, making sure to plug in his laptop within an arm's reach so his daughter wouldn't have to get up. Several days' worth of food was in the fridge, ready to be microwaved as Haruhi got hungry. _I don't want you to lift a finger, Haruhi—no cooking, no cleaning, nothing but_ resting _until next Wednesday_.

As a child, Haruhi would have been perfectly fine lying in bed all day instead of going to school, but now that she was older she'd rather do _anything_. _I've never wanted to clean a toilet more in my life_ , she thought as she fluffed the pillow underneath the arch of her back. Despite being only fifteen weeks along, just the extra couple pounds was killing her back, and it had already gotten to the point where sleeping on her back was uncomfortable.

"You know what? Forget it." Haruhi snatched the pillow from under her back and instead put it up against the wall as a backrest. "Right now, my options are either homework or TV." As she reached for the laptop, she remembered just how much homework she had done in the past two days.

"I never thought I would say this, but… _fuck homework_."

* * *

The next day, Haruhi was awoken by the sound of unknown voices shouting followed by a car door slamming. _Fuck,_ she thought, sitting up in bed and rubbing her eyes, _what on_ earth _are they doing here at this hour? Tamaki knows I have to rest..._

"Haruhi…" Ranka groaned, rolling over. "Why are they here this early?"

"Beats me…" Haruhi snuggled back under the blankets and closed her eyes again.

The two's brief moment of peace was quickly killed by a sudden banging on the front door. Ranka sighed with irritation before groggily getting up.

The incessant banging continued to grow more urgent until Ranka finally answered it. He didn't bother changing his facial expression to appear less irritated, but when he opened the door,

"Mi...suzu?"

"Ranka!" exclaimed the penision owner as he pushed his way inside, hands folded in a pleading position. "I must ask you a sudden favor!"

"Huh?"

An unfamiliar feminine voice spoke. "Don't force a burden upon someone else, you heartless cross-dresser!"

Misuzu grabbed the hand of someone and yanked them into view. She looked to be about Haruhi's age; however, there was a stark contrast between their appearances. While Haruhi looked rather plain, this girl was... _wild_ , to say the least. Her bleached-blonde hair stood out against her skin, which was tanned so much to the point it looked more orange than sun-kissed. Bright white eyeshadow covered both her upper and lower eyelids, and instead of rosy lipstick her lips were adorned with a bright nude that stuck out from the rest of her skin. Under her outlandish appearance, however, she bore an uncanny resemblance to Misuzu.

"My daughter, Mei! Please, watch her! Just for a bit—a few weeks, maybe? I beg of you!"

"Daughter—?!"

Before Ranka could object, the door slammed, and Ranka and Haruhi were left with the outrageous excuse of a teenager standing in their apartment.

* * *

 _Stop revving your Porsche; it's really loud…_

The engine continued to whirr, only annoying Haruhi more.

 _I'm serious, stop…_

Haruhi sat up and rubbed her eyes, relieved the roaring sound she had dreamt about had finally stopped.

Until she realized she hadn't dreamt it.

"Christ, Dad…" She got out from underneath the blanket to investigate the sound, only to discover her father was still asleep in the futon next to hers.

That could only mean one other person.

Groaning, Haruhi exited the bedroom and went to locate what exactly was causing the commotion. It didn't take long for her to discover the source of the sound, however— in the middle of the living area sat Mei, sewing machine set up and whirring away.

"Mei-chan?" she groaned, causing said girl to turn her head. "What are you doing so early in the morning? We're trying to sleep…"

"I'm hemming my skirt! Go back to bed!" Mei resumed fixing the garment, totally oblivious to Haruhi's implication.

"Can't you at least wait until _at least_ after my dad and I are up?"

Mei continued to sew. "Of course not! Mornings are used for making clothes! Besides, that leaves plenty of time in the afternoon for other stuff."

Haruhi groaned. "Look, I don't care if you wake up early; that's fine. Just _please_ try to be quiet, okay? I really need to be sleeping…"

"Fine, I'll try to be quiet." Mei rolled her eyes and resumed sewing, albeit just a _tad_ bit quieter.

Sighing, Haruhi returned to the bedroom and crashed on the futon in the safest way possible.

* * *

Things at the Host Club had been weird without Haruhi.

Despite her being an official member for only roughly half a year, she had become an integral part of their daily club activities and a so-called fan favorite. It was strange not having her there to mediate, be the voice of reason, or make the occasional snarky comment. To top it off, Tamaki was already bad enough; the present circumstances just made him even more of an erratic mess.

Tuesday's Host Club meeting had come to an end, and everyone was busy having all the furniture, props, et cetera moved back to where they had previously been. Since Haruhi's departure, meetings definitely weren't as fun, and there even seemed to be a bit of tension between customers and Hosts.

In all honestly, Tamaki still felt as if it were his fault. Technically, yes—he obviously played a role—but it wasn't _just_ his fault. Mainly, he knew of all the scrutiny and judgement Haruhi would face (most likely for the rest of her life), and knew he could have prevented it. Kyoya had been in constant contact with Ranka as soon as Haruhi arrived home from Boston, and knew how badly she had been feeling. Not necessarily because of the baby (her morning sickness had, for the most part, subsided), but because of how little she was permitted to do. Additionally, he was aware of a couple of things the rest of the Host Club was not, and internally debated whether or not they were important enough to share.

Before everyone had the chance to leave, however, Tamaki decided to make an announcement. "You know what I think we should do?" he asked rhetorically. "I think we should pay Haruhi a visit."

"But shouldn't she be resting?" asked Honey. "I don't think it would be a good idea to bother her…"

"She's _bored_ ," Tamaki stated. "Her father has taken the 'resting' thing a little too far, and she can only get out of bed to use the bathroom and eat." He lowered his voice. "She's eating _leftovers_."

The other Hosts, sans Kyoya, gasped collectively. "See? It's a problem."

"However, there _is_ one more problem." Kyoya looked up at everyone. "It seems Misuzu-san's daughter is temporarily staying with the Fujiokas."

Hikaru and Kaoru burst out laughing. "What, that old geezer has a daughter?!"

"Yes, from his previous marriage," Kyoya answered. "His daughter, Mei Yasumura, was adopted by her stepfather, hence a differing surname. While he and her mother are away on a business trip, Mei is staying with the Fujiokas. It's definitely not a long-term situation, just a week or two at most."

"How do you know these things?!"

"I have my sources." Kyoya used a single finger to push up his glasses. "Anyway, take this information as you will."

Tamaki thought for a moment before weakly smiling. "Well, it never hurts to meet someone new, does it?"

* * *

 _Knock knock knock_!

"Mei, can you answer it?" Haruhi called from the living area.

"I'm trying to fix my hair!" yelled Mei, who had been in the bathroom for the past ten minutes. "You can get up to pee; why can't you get up to answer the door?!"

Haruhi rolled her eyes and slowly began to get up. Overall, she didn't mind that Mei was staying with them—she made things a lot more interesting—but she was rather blunt, and had a very extensive daily makeup routine that required her to hog the bathroom for quite a while (not exactly a good thing given the situation Haruhi was currently in). Other than that, the only thing about Mei that bothered her was the fact that she couldn't be honest about what was going on.

Whoever was at the door knocked again. "I'm coming," Haruhi said as she continued to make her way towards the front door before finally opening it.

As soon as she laid eyes on the Host Club, she rolled her eyes. " _Really_?" she sighed, briefly glancing back to check if Mei had come out of the bathroom. "You could not have come at a worse time."

"That is _precisely_ why we came," Tamaki replied, ignoring Haruhi's irritation. "We knew you haven't been feeling well, so we decided to visit and make you feel better."

"That's not exactly help—" The Host Club pushed past her and made their way inside. "Hey! I didn't say you could come inside!"

Unfortunately for Haruhi, this was the exact same moment Mei decided to come out of the bathroom. "Who the fuck did you invite over, a stampede?!"

Everyone turned their heads at the sound of the unfamiliar voice, and once Mei saw who was there she stopped in her tracks. "Oh," she said, face flushing a bit, "who's this?"

"Um." Haruhi blinked. "These...are my friends from school."

"Hi," Mei quickly said before grabbing Haruhi's hand. "I just forgot. I need to ask you about...a _girl thing_!" Haruhi was dragged off to the bedroom, leaving the Host Club behind and somewhat confused.

"You _know_ these guys?!" exclaimed Mei in disbelief. "And they're all so attractive? Are they models? Are you dating any of them?!"

"Uh...not exactly…"

"Hooooooooly shit. You're friends with _attractive_ rich people. This changes the game entirely!"

"What, what?" Haruhi asked. "What 'game'?"

Mei rolled her eyes. "All this time I thought you were a boring sick person, but no! I was entirely wrong!"

"What do you mean?"

"You _have_ to introduce me to your friends!" Mei grabbed Haruhi's hand again and dragged her back to where they were previously.

As the Host Club stared at the two girls, Haruhi cleared her throat. "Um. This is Mei."

Tamaki immediately grabbed Mei's hand and kissed it, like he was ever so used to doing, and Mei shuddered. "Tamaki Suoh. Pleased to make your acquaintance," he told her, causing her face to flush even more than before. "You have such gorgeous bronzed skin... You must spend a lot of time at the beach."

Mei laughed nervously. "Haha, I wish... Too much time at the tanning salon..."

"Do you play tennis?" asked Kyoya, eyeing Mei's fashion choices.

"No, I really don't play any sports—"

"It's awfully short!" chimed Honey. "Don't you get cold?"

"And why are you wearing so much makeup?" continued Kaoru. "Your false eyelashes are unnaturally long—"

Hikaru butted in. "Yeah, but underneath all of it she looks _just_ like Misuzu!"

Mei's blood began to boil as she leaned over to Haruhi. "You didn't tell me your rich friends were _rude_ ," she whispered through clenched teeth.

"Well, if I'm being completely honest, they're usually like this." Haruhi sighed before speaking up. "Look, I know you're all trying to make me feel better, but this really is _not_ a good time."

Tamaki frowned. "But…we just wanted to make sure you weren't too bored, and that both you and the baby were okay…"

The room went silent as Mei turned her head to face Haruhi. "The… _baby_?"

Immediately the front door opened. "I'm home!" called Ranka as he entered the apartment, completely oblivious to the tension inside. "Haruhi! Mei! What would the two of you like for dinner? I picked up a _delicious_ -looking assortment of vegetables at the supermarket today—oh, hello."

"Hi Haruhi's dad," said the Host Club in unison.

Ranka set his bag down before pointing to Tamaki. "You. I'd like to speak to you privately for a moment."

Tamaki quickly pushed himself away from the clump of people. "Y-Yes sir!" he stammered, and the two retreated to one of the back rooms.

"Now that I think about it…" Mei turned to Haruhi. "I'd like to speak to _you_ as well."

Haruhi sighed. "Crap."

* * *

"No, I'm not sick," Haruhi admitted, shutting the door behind herself and Mei. "I mean, technically? But otherwise, no." She let out a lengthy, anxious sigh. "I'm pregnant. Fifteen weeks."

It was obvious Mei was taking a while to process this—the expression on her face was nothing more than a blank stare. "But you're my age," she stated. "You should have just gotten rid of it."

Haruhi inhaled sharply, trying her best to retain a calm demeanor. "It was out of the question. Besides, it's too late now."

Mei was silent, seemingly aware she may have crossed a line. "If you don't mind me asking… Whose is it?"

Without skipping a beat, Haruhi answered. "Tamaki's."

"Oh my god, the hot one?! Well, they're all hot, but—"

"I know."

"So when are you getting married?" asked Mei, completely serious.

"Married?" repeated Haruhi. "We don't even like each other!"

Mei snorted. "What, you mean to tell me the two of you are going to have a baby, yet you don't even like each other?"

"I don't _like_ -like him, it's more like I…tolerate him? Either way, he really cares, and I _think_ he wants to take this seriously. _Think_."

"But, like, a normal person wouldn't have sex with someone they didn't like. Unless you're into casual sex or something, which you don't seem like the type of person who is."

Haruhi's cheeks began to get warm; she couldn't believe someone she had known for approximately four days was asking her about her essentially nonexistent sex life. "Alcoholic beverages are a hell of a inhibitor…"

"You don't seem like the kind of person to drink underage, either."

"Look, _one time_ doesn't mean I routinely do it!"

While the girls were having whatever type of discussion they were having, Ranka and Tamaki were in the other back room having a discussion of their own.

"How are you today, sir?" Tamaki nervously asked, trying to stay positive despite not knowing what particular mood Ranka was in that day.

"Cut the chit-chat; we're here for a serious discussion." So it was _that_ mood. "Anyway, I am _fine_. I wanted to ask about your plans for when after… _all this_ passes."

Tamaki gulped. "Well, sir," he began, "since it's my child, too, I was planning on helping raise it."

"And how will you do that?"

Tamaki paused. He actually hadn't thought about it that much, despite the whole baby thing constantly being on his mind.

"Exactly," continued Ranka. "Split custody is difficult enough; doing it while in _high school_ is even worse."

It took a few seconds for Tamaki to process this, but he finally felt like he was catching on. "Ranka—Mr. Fujioka, sir—I live in an entire house by myself."

"By _yourself_?" Ranka repeated. "No adult supervision? What about your father?"

"I'm…not permitted to live in the main mansion, where my father lives."

"And why is that?"

"I was born."

The twisted expression on Ranka's face signaled to Tamaki that he needed to explain further. "It's kind of a long story," he explained, "but to put it simply, my grandmother doesn't like me because I'm illegitimate. No other reason."

Ranka wasn't sure how to react. "I'm…sorry about that."

"I really can't do anything about it. Until my father marries my mother, my grandmother won't ever like me. And that won't happen anytime soon since I'm forbidden from seeing my mother. That's the whole reason why I'm here."

Ranka hadn't expected such a simple question would evoke an outpouring of emotion from the host—and not the emotions he would have expected from the conversation.

"I haven't seen her in two years," continued Tamaki, "and I won't get to see her again until my grandmother decides she likes me well enough to be next in line to head Suoh Enterprises." He sighed. "My family life is…generally less than ideal, which is why I want to try my best. Anyway, what were we discussing?"

The sudden topic change caught Ranka a bit off-guard. "Oh, uh…your house."

"Right! My house."

Ranka nodded, trying to think of how he would put his current thoughts into words. He still didn't _completely_ trust Tamaki, or his judgement, but now that he knew a little more about his life it made things _slightly_ more bearable. "I don't know how else to put this, so I'm just going to say it." Ranka took a deep breath. "I think you and Haruhi should live together."

Tamaki stared at the elder man in shock. "I…beg your pardon?"

"I know it's a lot; just listen to me," continued Ranka. "There's barely enough room in this apartment for two people to live comfortably; with Mei, it's barely tolerable. If we add a baby into the mix there's no way we'd be able to manage unless we moved."

Tamaki nodded. "Yes, sir; that's understandable."

"And she's growing up so quickly… It would hurt less if she killed two birds with one stone. Leave home _and_ have a baby."

While thinking about what Ranka had told him, Tamaki also wondered what Haruhi's opinion on the situation would be. It sounded like she wasn't aware of her father's plan, and he knew she wouldn't exactly jump at the chance to move in with him.

Tamaki inhaled sharply before responding. "I'll go ahead and tell my staff to prepare one of the spare bedrooms. Let her know she can come whenever she feels comfortable."

"I never thought I'd say this, but…thank you." Ranka actually smiled a genuine smile for once. "I'll ask her about it tonight." He paused. "Just promise me one thing."

"Yes?"

"You'll take good care of my baby girl."

* * *

 **(A/N) So many feelings**

 **Anyway, opinion question: Ranka or Ryoji? I debated for a really long time on what to refer to Haruhi's dad as. Although Ryoji is his birth name and he does not identify as female, in that one episode (it's episode 7 of the dorama but I forget the anime/manga equivalent) he tells Kyoya to call him Ranka. However, the wiki refers to him as Ryoji, which makes sense since "Ranka" is more of his work personality. Do any of you have a preference?**


	12. Just Like Me

**I apologize for being so inconsistent with updates! I'm taking 2 classes this summer and since the summer semester is only 2 months, they're very intense and don't give me a ton of free time.**

 **Also, this chapter was supposed to be much longer, but (a) it would have been too long, (b) I split it up into 2 chapters so you'll get the rest next chapter, (c) I'm still working on the second part, and (d) I wanted to post an update already!**

* * *

~ _Later that day_ ~

Haruhi was convinced her father had lost his mind.

"What do you mean, 'live with him'?!" she repeated, obviously shocked by her father's suggestion. "I am perfectly content here, and see no reason to stay at his house. Is it a house? I've never been there."

Ranka sighed; he understood his daughter's shock and her feelings towards parting with her current living situation. "I'm going to tell you exactly what I told Tamaki: there is no room for a baby in this apartment."

Haruhi pursed her lips and looked at the ground; she knew her father was right. There _wasn't_ any room for a baby in their apartment, and the way things were going it looked like Haruhi would have to be home a lot. But she couldn't convince herself it was the best thing to do. Not only was she going to have to leave her father, she would be doing so to live with a person she wasn't even romantically involved with.

"And," continued Ranka, "Tamaki has expressed to me, personally, just how committed he is to being a part of this child's life. It would be a lot easier for that to be possible if the two of you lived together."

Haruhi still didn't respond.

Ranka sighed again and put his hands on his daughter's shoulders. "You don't have to decide right this moment. You have some time to think about it." He pulled her in for a hug. "Whatever you decide, you'll still be my daughter. I'll always love you."

Haruhi let the hug continue for a few seconds before pulling away. "I'm...going to see if any of my assignments have been graded."

She carefully stood up and exited the bedroom, only to find Mei waiting in the living area. "What was _that_ about?" asked the other teen—it was obvious she had done a little eavesdropping.

"It's...nothing." Haruhi brushed the comment aside and went into the kitchen to grab a glass of water.

Mei, however, followed. "Look, I know I'm a bitch sometimes, but you can trust me. I can tell you need some confidential girl-to-girl talk. All your close friends are _guys_. I'm pretty sure that's not healthy."

Haruhi rolled her eyes as she grabbed a clean glass off the drying rack. "As far as everyone knows, _I'm_ a guy."

Mei snorted, but her face fell when she realized Haruhi wasn't kidding. "Wait. Really?"

Haruhi nodded. "Yeah. Just…a huge misunderstanding. Too late to do anything about it now."

This only confused Mei further, and she cocked her head. "But if everyone thinks you're a girl…how did you…"

Sighing, Haruhi took her glass of water and sat down at the table, prompting Mei to do the same. "Do you know how expensive the Ouran uniform is? _300,000 yen_."

"Jesus Christ, but why does that matter?"

"Well, obviously I wasn't going to drop that kind of money on a single set of clothes, so I just wore one of my dad's sweaters. And with just my luck, I lost my contacts and had to wear an old pair of glasses, and got gum stuck in my hair literally _the day before_ school started and had to cut it out…"

By now Mei was beginning to pick up. "So you looked like a boy."

"Bingo." Haruhi took another sip of her water before continuing. "Anyway, I was looking for a place to study, and accidentally walked in on a room of _those_ idiots, and I broke a really expensive vase, and the only way to pay them back for the cost was to join their club. And since they thought I was a boy, it worked out."

"What kind of club is this where you'd have to be a boy to join?" asked Mei.

"Well, there's really nothing that _specifically_ states one must identify as male to be a member," Haruhi told Mei. "But, since it's a club that essentially caters to the needs of bored rich girls with too much time on their hands, being a boy certainly gives one an advantage."

"That sounds stupid."

"I'm going to be honest, it kind of is." This statement, however, was immediately followed by a smile. "But the Host Club are my friends. While I think some of the things we do together are dumb, they definitely aren't."

Mei stared for a moment, trying to think of a way to put her thoughts into coherent words. "What 'things' are you all doing that you'd get pregnant from?"

Haruhi frowned. Of _course_ Mei would go back to being blunt.

"End of the summer trip," she said, closing her eyes. "Someone suggested we go to Okinawa, to the resort the family of a schoolmate owns. I…still don't remember everything that happened, but someone decided to bring out some wine, and…things got out of hand…"

* * *

 _It started with just one sip._

 _One sip led to two, two sips led to three, and soon enough, the entire glass was empty._

 _The empty glass didn't stay empty for long. Haruhi could never have guessed that wine would taste so sweet, and from then on there was no turning back. One glass after another, all the while joking around with the rest of the Host Club. There was something about being under the influence that made every_ thing _much more fun, and every_ one _ten times more attractive._

 _Kyoya sat in a chair, sipping a glass and looking blissfully unaware. Hikaru and Kaoru had set up a modified version of beer pong, with wine replacing beer and crystalline glasses replacing red Solo cups. Mori had loosened up a lot compared to his normal demeanor, and was having a pretty in-depth conversation with Honey._

 _Tamaki, however, was nowhere in sight._

 _Haruhi waltzed over to Kyoya and leaned on the wall. "Kyoya?" she asked in a sing-song voice, before catching herself. "Fuck. I forgot what I was gonna ask... Sorry, I'm tired… Oh! Yeah! Where's Tamaki?"_

 _Kyoya smiled and chuckled lightly. Being one of, if not the most, level-headed Host, he had only had two glasses of wine, just enough to kick back a bit and feel the buzz, but not so much that his motor skills were severely inhibited. "Either way, I don't know where he is. Maybe his room?"_

" _I'll go look for him!' She began to walk off, only to remember something and snap back into place. "If he comes over here, be sure to tell him_ I need to ask him something _. Promise?"_

" _Of course."_

" _Thank you!" Haruhi smiled at the elder Host before skipping inside the resort and heading upstairs._

 _She wandered around upstairs, carefully studying each door before opening any of them. "I think it's...this one!" she exclaimed to herself before opening the door._

 _Tamaki stood in the room, shirtless, rummaging through his luggage. Once he heard the door open, he looked up. "Haruhi? What are you doing here?"_

" _I need to ask you something!"_

" _Yeah?" Seeing as Tamaki was someone who had previously consumed alcohol (he hadn't exactly mentioned_ when _, but Haruhi assumed either in some foreign country where he was of drinking age or with his father's permission), he seemed to hold it better than Haruhi did; however, he was still disoriented and had dropped whatever bit of a filter he usually had._

 _Haruhi thought for a minute before realizing she was doing nothing but staring at Tamaki's torso. "...Fuck, I forgot. Never mind!"_

 _Tamaki shrugged before realizing he had no idea what he was actually doing. "I don't remember what I'm doing," he said with a little bit of a laugh, slamming the suitcase shut. The force of the impact caused the luggage rack to shake, rocking it back and forth until it finally toppled over, spilling the suitcase's contents all over the floor._

" _Let me help you!" exclaimed Haruhi, running over to Tamaki and bending down to help him pick up his things. As she put various items of clothing back into Tamaki's suitcase, she couldn't help but stare at him._

" _...Y'know, you look very nice without a shirt on."_

 _Surprisingly, Tamaki's face didn't turn red like it normally would have at such a comment. He simply cracked a smile before responding. "You look very nice_ with _a shirt on."_

 _Haruhi snorted as she put one last piece of clothing back into the suitcase. "It's getting late. I think I'm gonna go to bed…" She slowly stood up before stumbling into Tamaki's bed._

 _The blond squinted his eyes, aware something was not right about the situation, but being drunk he couldn't quite put his finger on it. "That's… my bed," he said, blinking._

" _I don't care!" said Haruhi, her head buried underneath a pillow. "I'm tired. Goodnight."_

 _Tamaki briefly glanced at the clock on the night table. It_ was _getting late…_

" _Okay. Goodnight." Tamaki crawled into the other side of the bed, careful to not brush against Haruhi. Despite this, his attempt failed, and the accidental touching of shoulders was followed by excessive bouts of childish giggling._

 _As the two would soon find out, being in the same bed with your friend of the opposite sex whom you harbor some mild romantic feelings towards would most likely lead to a situation best suited for responsible adults._

 _In which case, it did._

* * *

Mei didn't quite know what to say, except "Jeez."

"Exactly." Haruhi set down her glass. "And here we are…" Her hand slowly found its way down to her stomach, which she gently rested it on. "The worst part about it is, I can't even say I'm happy. _Yet_. I know it's my baby, but…it's ruined all my plans for school, for college, for my career… I was going to go to _law school_! But the way things are looking, my child will be at _least_ ten years old by the time I get out of there! There's no way I'll be able to do it now."

Mei frowned as she took everything Haruhi had just said into consideration. "Who said you can't?" she asked.

"What?"

"Who said you can't go to law school?" repeated Mei. "If it's what you really want, you should go for it. You got into the _really expensive rich kid school_ , for fuck's sake, and you're worried about being able to go to law school with a baby? You're _still in school_ , and you're _on track_ to graduate. You can do this."

Haruhi was surprised something _encouraging_ had actually come out of Mei's mouth. "Since when did _you_ become so friendly?" she mumbled to herself, albeit just loud enough for Mei to hear.

"I heard that." Mei sighed before pulling out her phone. "I want to be a fashion designer," she told Haruhi, pulling up a picture of one of her designs and placing it on the table. "Both my mom and stepdad think it's stupid. They want me to do something more, as they'd put it, 'practical'."

"Well, they're not wrong," grumbled Haruhi.

Mei rolled her eyes. "Okay, but I'm not going to let them stop me from achieving my dreams. I just keep telling myself, 'I can do what I want! Fuck them!'"

"I...wouldn't exactly say that about your parents, but...I guess you're right. I can't give up."

"That's what I've been saying," Mei said matter-of-factly. She paused for a moment, seemingly collecting her thoughts. "When is your doctor's appointment?" she asked.

"Tomorrow, but why do you care?"

"Okay, so Thursday."

"Thursday's a school night."

"Fine, Friday!" Mei sighed. "Friday, as soon as I get out of school. We're going to get pedicures."

"But it's _November_ ," scoffed Haruhi.

"So? There's never a bad time to relax."

"Really, Mei, you don't have to—"

"When you're stressed, you're stressed. And _you_ are the most stressed-out person I know." Mei stood up from the table. "So that settles it. Friday, you and I are going to get pedicures."

* * *

As soon as the lunch hour began, Tamaki left the classroom and went straight to his father's office. He didn't care that entirely missing lunch was a possibility; he had bigger, more important things on his plate (no pun intended).

Tamaki threw open the door to the executive suite, causing the receptionist to bolt upright. "Is my father here?" he asked her.

The receptionist rolled her eyes, discreetly enough for Tamaki to not notice; by this point, she was used to his frequent visits. "I'll tell him you're here," she said before calling Mr. Suoh through the intercom.

After just a few seconds, the door to Yuzuru's office opened and he stuck his head out. "Come in, come in," he said to his son, gesturing for him to come inside.

Tamaki had decided to cut to the chase and avoid small talk, partially to show his father he was being responsible and partially because he just wasn't in the mood. "Dad, I need to ask you something," he told the elder man, sitting in the chair on the other side of the desk.

"Of course! But first..." Yuzuru sat down in his desk chair and swivelled around, facing away from Tamaki. "...one of my associates dropped off a cheese platter. Do you want any?"

Tamaki eyed the silver platter as his father set it before him, but ultimately decided it was irrelevant. "I'll pass, but thanks."

"Suit yourself." Yuzuru popped a cheese cube into his mouth. "Anyway, what was it you wanted to ask me?"

Tamaki avoided eye contact and focused his gaze at the bottom of his father's desk. "Yesterday I visited Haruhi and her dad. After talking with him, we both decided it would be best if Haruhi and I—" He hesitated, the words he intended to say choking him. "—live together."

Yuzuru's eyes widened in surprise, and he simultaneously began choking on a cheese cube. "What?!" he coughed, stopping for a moment to catch his breath. "Live together?!"

He understood why his father would be surprised and/or opposed—after all he and Haruhi were only in high school, and they weren't even dating. "Just listen," Tamaki began to explain. "Haruhi's father actually suggested it."

"But why—"

" _Please_ , let me explain. Did I ever tell you the doctor is considering this a high-risk pregnancy? Haruhi's been on mandatory bed rest since we got back from Boston. She is probably _anemic_ , and literally can't do anything except sit on her butt all day. Not to mention, her father works, so she's home alone all day, and probably _will be_ for the next five months if we don't do anything about it."

Yuzuru went silent as he thought about what his son had just told him. "...Now that you've told me _that_ , I'm starting to believe it may not be as bad of an idea as I originally thought. However, before we jump headfirst into this, I think it'd be best to have a long discussion over dinner."

Tamaki's face blanked. "Over…dinner?"

Yuzuru nodded. "Yes, over dinner. I'll make sure to clear my schedule this Thursday to invite Miss Fujioka and her father over. I'm sure they'd want to actually _see_ where she'd live before making the decision."

"...Fair enough."

"And, if we _do_ decide that this is a good choice to make, I hope you understand your grandmother is most definitely _not_ going to be happy when she finds out. I'm going to try to…create more _opportunities_ for the two of you to be together, so she can _hopefully_ realize you're…not a bad person."

Tamaki sighed but nodded; although he didn't like her presence, he _did_ genuinely want to get to know the woman…if she would let him.

Yuzuru brushed off his suit before standing up. "Well, I'll make sure my schedule on Thursday is clear. Is there anything in particular you want on the menu?"

Tamaki didn't miss a beat. "Otoro."

Chuckling, Yuzuru made a mental note. "I'll make sure to put it in. I'm happy we could talk."

"Me too." Tamaki smiled and began to leave, but remembered a question he had been burning to ask for a long time.

"One more thing, Dad," he said. "About Mom… What disease does she have?"

Yuzuru furrowed his brow in concern. "I don't want you to worry about your mother. She's doing well."

"I'm not asking how she's doing, I'm asking what disease she has." Tamaki lowered his voice. " _A high-risk pregnancy_ , Dad. The doctor wants to know. It's not for my _knowledge_ , it's for the sake of my _child_."

Yuzuru's face dropped; there was no arguing with that. "I can tell you, but you absolutely _cannot_ let your grandmother know that you know."

Tamaki nodded, ready to hear whatever his father had to say.

"Tamaki, your mother has lupus."

The teen blinked, unsure of how to react. He didn't know a whole lot about lupus, but it _did_ explain why Anne-Sophie declined steadily over the course of several years…

"...Oh."

"Like I said, she's doing well," Yuzuru reassured his son. "It's a very manageable disease. I don't _believe_ it has a genetic link, but it certainly won't hurt to tell the doctor."

"No, it won't." Tamaki smiled weakly. "Anyway, thanks for telling me, Dad. I'll see you soon."

"Bye, son." Yuzuru smiled back as he watched Tamaki leave the office.

Once the door was closed and he was sure Tamaki was far away, Yuzuru let out a loud sigh before throwing himself into the desk chair. What, oh _what_ , had his son gotten himself into? While he was at least proud Tamaki had decided to take responsibility for his actions, he was having an awful time coming to terms with the fact that he was going to become a grandfather at the age of 48. Not to mention, he pretty much had to keep it a secret. There wasn't just the fear of his mother finding out. He also had to hide it from his friends and fellow business executives. If word got out about _another_ illegitimate child in the Suoh bloodline—one who belonged to teenage parents, even more so—it could quite possibly ruin the company.

However, there was one person whom he was comfortable with that he hadn't told yet.

Yuzuru quickly got up and locked the door (absolutely _no one_ could come in during this conversation) before sitting back down at his desk. He pulled out his cell phone (no way in _hell_ was he using the office phone for such a conversation) and dialed the Very Important Number.

"Yuzuru?"

"Anne-Sophie."

"Yuzuru, what's wrong?" asked Tamaki's mother. Despite being sick for many years, the Frenchwoman had become rather adept at reading others' emotions, including through tone of voice. "You sound—"

"Disappointed? Frustrated? Upset? All of the above?" Yuzuru sighed audibly. "Anne-Sophie, I feel like I have failed as a parent!"

"What…what do you mean?" Even though she was on another continent, Anne-Sophie had always been confident of Yuzuru's parenting skills, especially since he had made an effort to be a part of Tamaki's life since his infancy. "Yuzuru, you absolutely _have not_ failed as a parent."

Realizing he had been scooting around the subject matter, Yuzuru decided just to get to the point. "Anne-Sophie, we're going to be grandparents."

Anne-Sophie's face went blank. "... _What_?!"

Although she couldn't see him, Yuzuru sadly nodded. "We're going to be grandparents. Tamaki got a girl pregnant."

Anne-Sophie continued to be silent for a few seconds. " _Sacrebleu_ ," she mumbled before sighing. "What is…what's going to happen?"

"Tamaki's decided to be responsible and treat this situation like an adult would. I can tell he's already ready to step up and be a parent to this child."

It took a few more seconds for Anne-Sophie to process all this. "And the girl?' she asked quietly. "Is she someone he really likes? You never told me he was dating anyone…"

"He's not," Yuzuru told her. Anne-Sophie furrowed her brow in confusion. "They're great friends, though. She's the scholarship student, from a middle- class family. A very sweet, intelligent girl, and I hate she was dragged into all of this…"

"What does your mother think?"

Yuzuru blinked. "That's…what I'm worried about. She doesn't know."

"Yuzuru, she wouldn't even let _us_ get married after Tamaki was born, and we were adults! There is _no way_ she'll find this acceptable."

"Which is why I'm doing all I can to create a positive relationship between her and Tamaki," sighed Yuzuru. "I told Tamaki I want him to make every effort to interact with her. He absolutely _cannot_ mess this up, especially with the treatment being developed…"

Anne-Sophie closed her eyes. Why did something this serious have to happen _now,_ of all times—one where she couldn't contact her son at all?

"I'm going to be honest, it will probably take me a long time to process this," she sighed. "Just...keep me updated,.

Yuzuru nodded. "I definitely will. I'm sorry you had to find out like this."

"It's better than not finding out until much later." There was a long silence before anyone said anything. "I love you, Yuzuru. _Je t'aime_."

" _Je t'aime aussi_. See you soon."

The phone line clicked as Anne-Sophie hung up, and Yuzuru leaned back in his chair with a lengthy sigh.

"Why does my son have to be exactly like me?"

* * *

 _~Wednesday~_

Haruhi got into the limousine after Tamaki and smiled at the chauffeur before he closed the door. As soon as the two were alone the tension grew as heavy as lead, Haruhi's expression quickly hardened. "Well. I guess I'm officially _anemic_."

Tamaki briefly closed his eyes and took a deep breath, reminding himself that this was probably just hormones and _She has every right to feel angry given the circumstances._ "Yes, and the doctor said it shouldn't be a problem if you take the supplements she prescribed and eat more green vegetables. It's not something to get worked up about."

" _You're_ not the one growing a human in your stomach," snapped Haruhi. "And what if the baby gets lupus like your mom? It's just my luck that not only does something like this happen, _everything that could possibly go wrong with something like this_ also happens."

"Haruhi, remember, the doctor said—"

"I know what the doctor said; I was there!" Haruhi rolled her eyes and sighed. " _None_ of this is easy, Tamaki. I'm exhausted all the time, all I want to do is eat, and I'm getting fat!"

"You are _not_ getting fat," Tamaki reassured with a smile. "And the doctor said that there isn't a known hereditary link to lupus. I promise, once you move in with me everything will be ten times easier."

Haruhi frowned as she remembered the dinner meeting taking place the next evening and her subsequent change of housing situation. "I just...don't want to leave my dad. With my mom gone, I'm all he has left, and…" By now she realized she was beginning to cry, and rather than trying to suppress her emotions like usual she just decided to let the tears flow. "I don't want to leave him."

Tamaki wrinkled his brows in sympathy as he wrapped an arm around Haruhi, pulling her close. "I understand, Haruhi. It sucks."

"I just…don't know what he'll do without me."

"And you're only a short car ride away," Tamaki reminded. "Haruhi, this was _his_ idea. He _knows_ this will be hard for the _both_ of you, but he wouldn't have suggested it if he weren't confident you'd be strong enough."

Haruhi sighed and turned her head to look out the window. "You're right."

Tamaki smiled sympathetically and did the same.

The rest of the ride back to the Fujiokas' apartment was spent in silence, both Tamaki and Haruhi too preoccupied with their own thoughts to make small talk. Once they arrived, Tamaki proceeded with his usual task of walking Haruhi to the door.

"I'm glad everything was okay, for the most part," he told Haruhi as he watched her dig her house key out of her crossbody. "Is there anything in particular you want for dinner tomorrow night?"

Haruhi flashed a wry smile. "Surprise me."

Tamaki smiled back. "Of course," he replied. I'll see you tomorrow."

Haruhi began to reach for the doorknob to unlock it, but stopped.

"Tamaki?" she asked.

"Yeah?"

"Thank you."

* * *

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 **As always, reviews are greatly appreciated!**


	13. Second Thoughts

Despite what he wanted his father to think, Tamaki was a nervous wreck. He even went so far as to cancel the day's Host Club meeting to prepare for Haruhi and Ranka's visit. As soon as he returned from school, Tamaki went straight to the house staff, asking if he could help with anything in preparation for the dinner (of course, it was their job to tell him "no") and just generally making sure everything was going as planned. Not only would this visit determine if he and Haruhi would be able to raise their child under the same roof, it was also the first formal meeting between the fathers of the two.

On the Fujiokas' end, things weren't much better. While Haruhi was fretting over which dress minimized her baby bump the most, Ranka was worried about fifty million other things. "Haruhi, everyone we are meeting with knows you're pregnant, so there's no need to pretend you aren't," he said, slicking his long hair back into a mature and dignified ponytail. "It's the whole reason we're going over there in the first place. I, however, would like to make a very good impression on the _president of one of the country's largest enterprises_ , so _please_ , talk to Mei about it."

Haruhi pouted before running into the living area to show Mei. "Does the black one or the blue one make me look smaller?"

Mei rolled her eyes, annoyed at Haruhi's complete 180 in personality. "You have a _kid_ in your stomach. Nothing's gonna make it look smaller." She paused as Haruhi frowned. "Black's depressing; wear the blue one."

As Haruhi prepared to make a comment, she glanced down at her phone screen to check the time. "Crap! It's supposed to be here in ten minutes!"

"That's why I told you to hurry up earlier!" called Ranka as he poked his head out into the hallway.

Haruhi briefly panicked before sitting down in front of Mei. "Do my makeup, please?" she asked the other teen, though it was more of a demand than a question.

"Fine." Mei got up to grab one of her many makeup bags and sat back down. "What's coming in ten minutes, anyway?"

"Tamaki said he'd send a car to pick us up," Haruhi said, wincing as Mei dragged an eye shadow applicator across her eyelid. "It should be getting here at 5:30."

Mei said nothing as she continued to apply the makeup. "You're lucky you have clear skin, 'cause I don't have any concealer or foundation anywhere _near_ your skin tone."

"Just _please_ , don't do anything extra! I still have to brush my hair!"

"You don't _have_ any hair!"

"But I still need to brush it!"

Hearing the girls' argument, Ranka grabbed a hairbrush and went straight to Haruhi. " _I'll_ brush your hair," he told her, irritated. As he ran the brush through her hair, he leaned in close. "You'd better not act like this during dinner," he warned in a low voice.

"I won't, Dad! I promise!"

Ranka nodded stiffly and stood back up. "I'll keep an eye on the car. Finish quickly."

If Haruhi hadn't been under so much pressure she would have been more confused at her father's serious behavior, but she had better things to think about as Mei put the finishing touches on her makeup. "Here," said the other teen, handing Haruhi a handheld mirror. "I hope you like it, 'cause there's not much else I can do."

The burgundy eyeshadow and black line drawn perfectly across her lash line was a bit off-putting, but Haruhi decided she had no time to comment or consider changing anything. "Thank you so much," she sighed, carefully standing up and straightening out her dress.

"Just in time." Ranka dropped the curtain from his hands and double-checked his tie. "Alright, Mei, there's food in the fridge; just text if you need anything. We should be back in a few hours."

"Got it, thanks." Mei watched as the Fujiokas gathered a few final things. "See you in a few hours."

The November cold formed goosebumps on Haruhi's arms, and she draped her winter coat over her shoulders as she and Ranka walked to the car. They didn't have to bear the chill for long, though; the chauffeur had already opened the back door for the two of them. After quickly sitting down to escape the cold, the chauffeur closed the door for them, and they were off just mere seconds later.

Unsurprisingly, the drive started out silent, both Haruhi and Ranka preoccupied with their own thoughts—Haruhi with how the dinner would go along, Ranka with the fact that he was meeting the multimillionaire president of a major business enterprise.

Ranka, however, finally decided to break the ice. "Do you know what food will be served?" he asked Haruhi, trying to make conversation while at the same time genuinely curious.

Haruhi shook her head. "No idea. I'm guessing Tamaki wants it to be a surprise."

The attempt at conversation obviously failed, and it faded back to silence. After a few more minutes, though, Haruhi spoke up.

"Dad?" Haruhi glanced up at Ranka, too nervous to even make eye contact with her own father. "Can I ask you something?"

Ranka sensed his daughter's uneasiness and smiled softly. "Always."

"Promise you'll be completely honest?"

"Of _course_ , Haruhi."

Haruhi sighed and stared at her own feet. "Dad, are you...mad at me?"

Ranka stiffened as he took a deep breath. "Haruhi, I thought we already went over this."

"Yes, but that was over _two months ago_. I'm mad at _myself_ , Dad, and I just want to know if you are, too."

Ranka reached his hand out and placed it on his daughter's knee. "Haruhi, I'm not mad. 'Confused' would be a better word to describe it—I still don't understand _how_ any of this could happen, especially with how everything has played out so far. You're so _smart_ , Haruhi. I admit, it still hasn't one hundred percent sunk in yet, but I'm impressed with how maturely you're handling the situation."

Haruhi didn't have an immediate response, and both she and Ranka silently agreed to not say anything else on the matter. The rest of the trip to the second Suoh mansion was spent in long, contemplative silence.

The Rolls-Royce rounded a curve and began to slow down, causing its two passengers to snap out of their thoughts and view their surroundings. Both Haruhi and Ranka stared in awe at the large white mansion they were slowly approaching.

Haruhi squinted her eyes as she processed the size and ornateness of what she assumed would be her potential future home. "Damn these rich people," she mumbled to herself as the car pulled through the gates.

After exiting the car, Haruhi and Ranka nervously approached the set of enormous French doors that looked like it alone cost more than a year's rent. They looked at each other before Haruhi reached out her hand to ring the doorbell.

Right as she was about to press it, one of the doors opened and an unfamiliar man in a suit smiled at them. "Good evening," he told them, stepping aside as he held the door open with his body. "Please, come in." He gestured inside, and the Fujiokas had no choice but to follow in the direction his hand was gesturing.

Both tried their hardest not to gawk at the interior. Shiny marble floors that clicked with every step, a grand staircase that rivaled that of the _Titanic_. Haruhi's eyes wandered upward, only to find their way onto a huge crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling of the at _least_ three-story high foyer. If most students lived in a home as opulent as this one, no wonder Ouran was designed the way it was.

The footman stopped Haruhi and Ranka right where they were standing. "May I take your coats?" he asked them

Haruhi and Ranka took of their coats and handed them to him. "Thank you."

"My pleasure." The footman bowed. "Please, wait here a moment while I go fetch the young master."

"Of course," Ranka told him with a smile, but as soon as the footman was out of earshot he shot Haruhi a shocked look. "' _Young master'_?! _What_ have you gotten yourself into?!"

Haruhi shrugged defensively. "He never talks about this!" she said through her teeth.

As the two were waiting, Antoinette came running from around the corner, barking and wagging her tail happily. Haruhi didn't even have time to react as the golden retriever jumped on her, tail wagging faster than ever. She gave Ranka a nervous look as she hesitantly began to scratch the dog's head.

"Antoinette! _Couchée_!"

Haruhi and Ranka looked up at the sound of Tamaki's voice. Antoinette got off of Haruhi and happily looked at her owner, who was making his way down the stairs.

" _Viens_!" Antoinette immediately came running towards Tamaki and began begging to be petted. "No, Ann, not right now."

"My apologies!" A female staff member immediately came from around the same corner Antoinette did and ran up the stairs. "I was just taking her outside, and she wiggled out of the leash before I had it all the way on…"

"It's _fine_ ," Tamaki reassured as he watched the leash be put on his dog. "Make sure to give her a treat afterwards."

"Certainly, Master Tamaki." The attendant bowed before exiting with Antoinette.

Tamaki sighed before continuing his trip down the stairs to meet with the Fujiokas. "I'm terribly sorry," he told them, though more directed at Ranka than Haruhi. He absolutely _could not_ mess this up, so any slight bump in the plans he had rehearsed endlessly for the past two days immediately made him nervous.

Haruhi opened her mouth to dismiss Tamaki's apology, but to her surprise Ranka did it for her. "No need to," he told him with the slightest beginnings of a smile. "It seems like a...sweet dog."

Tamaki laughed slightly. "Her name's Antoinette. She was a gift to keep me company when I first came here."

"Well, she seems very _loving_ ," Ranka forced. It was taking nearly all his willpower to focus on the positives of the situation, and he certainly wasn't planning on his daughter having a _pet_ any time soon.

Tamaki turned to face Haruhi, and immediately felt his face get hot. Apart from a few Host Club cosplays and that one time at Lobelia, he had never seen her with makeup on, let alone actual _feminine_ makeup. _Gosh, she's cute_ , he thought, debating whether he could suppress his blushing naturally or if he should cover his face.

"I'm _terribly_ sorry for keeping you all waiting," said a voice from the top of the staircase. Everyone turned their heads to look at Yuzuru, who was gracefully making his way down the stairs. "My most sincere apologies."

"It's completely fine; we weren't waiting long at all." Ranka bowed deeply. "Ryoji Fujioka; pleased to make your acquaintance."

"Pleased to make yours as well. Though, I'm sure we'll become more than acquaintances in the coming months." Yuzuru chuckled before bowing back. "Yuzuru Suoh. It's so nice to finally meet you."

Yuzuru turned to Haruhi, who immediately tensed up. "It's very nice to see you again, Miss Fujioka."

"You too," Haruhi replied with a smile. Ranka immediately gently elbowed her, and she corrected her mistake. "It's nice to see you again as well, sir."

A butler exited through a door and approached the group. "Dinner is ready, sir," he told them, though it was unclear whether it was directed towards Yuzuru or Tamaki.

"Perfect!" Yuzuru clasped his hands together as he began to follow the butler to the dining room, prompting the others to follow. "I've asked the chefs to prepare only the finest dishes tonight, so prepare yourselves!"

Tamaki and Haruhi exchanged glances as the group made their way into the dining room. So far, things had gotten off to a great, albeit a little awkward, start, but they still had the rest of the evening ahead of them.

The same footman from earlier opened the French doors into the dining room, and while Haruhi was somewhat used to such lavishness, Ranka was unable to keep his mouth from gaping. Despite the mansion being occupied by only one person, the dining room was fit for a family of at _least_ ten. The decor was akin to that of a French chateau, which wasn't surprising considering Tamaki's heritage, but was still a very abrupt change from the dingy (in comparison) apartment the Fujiokas had lived in for the past several years.

Haruhi immediately headed for a seat, but instead the butler pulled out the chair right next to the head of the table. "Ladies first," said Yuzuru, gesturing for Haruhi to take a seat. She uncomfortably sat down and watched as everyone else followed.

After everyone was settled—Yuzuru at the head of the table, Ranka to his left, Haruhi to his right, and Tamaki next to Haruhi—another butler came around and filled everyone's glass with water. "May I interest either of you in a glass of chardonnay?" he asked the older men.

"That sounds wonderful; thank you," Ranka told the butler, and Yuzuru agreed to a glass as well. As the butler exited, Ranka turned to Yuzuru. "Mr. Suoh, sir—"

"Please, lay off the formalities, for tonight at least," said Yuzuru. "Whether we like it or not, we will all be family soon, and I think we need to refer to each other as such. Call me Yuzuru."

Ranka began to continue, but the first butler entered the dining room with a large serving tray full of plates. "Your first course, a caesar salad with grana padano croutons," he said to the group as he served them their appetizers.

Haruhi stared at the massive salad placed in front of her, enough so to catch Tamaki's eye. "You don't have to eat _all_ of it, you know," he whispered to her.

"Which fork do I use?!" she whispered back.

" _Outside in_!"

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

"Tamaki!" The teens looked up right when Tamaki's father called his name. "I want you to pay extra special attention." Yuzuru turned to look at both Ranka and Haruhi as he spoke. "Before we get too carried away with dinner, I'd like to take care of business first."

* * *

The next ten minutes were excruciatingly boring for Tamaki and Haruhi alike. After several more reminders that Tamaki's grandmother was most certainly _not_ going to be happy about the whole situation (and at this point, Tamaki would be surprised if she _ever_ said anything nice to him), Yuzuru went on to explain that the future would be full of meetings with the Suoh family lawyer, and for Tamaki, "bonding experiences" with his grandmother. Additionally, both Yuzuru and Ranka agreed that it would be best to keep the pregnancy under wraps, to preserve the reputation of both the Suohs and the Fujiokas.

Yuzuru was about to go on to explain the ins and outs of the second mansion, but was interrupted by a butler bringing in the main course. As soon as the door that led to the kitchen opened, Haruhi was hit with the most pungent fishy stench she had ever smelled before. Her stomach instantly began churning as the butler sat the plate down in front of her. "Black pepper-crusted tuna au poivre with whipped potatoes and sautéed spinach in a cognac sauce."

Haruhi's eyes focused intently on the piece of grilled fish placed in front of her as everyone else received their meals. When she noticed the others beginning to eat, she reluctantly picked up her silverware and slowly cut into the large piece of fish. _At least Tamaki thought about me_ , she thought as she unhurriedly placed a miniscule piece of tuna in her mouth.

Despite tuna—especially that of the fancy variety—being one of her favorites, she absolutely could not stomach it. Just the one small bite she took was making everything worse, but looking around at the other three, they seemed to be enjoying their food. Definitely not the food; definitely her.

After trying to hold her food for what seemed like forever, Haruhi finally felt the stomach acid creeping up her throat and the overwhelming feeling of nausea.

"Haruhi?" whispered Tamaki. "Are you alright?"

Haruhi gulped. "Where's the bathroom?"

Tamaki leaned in closer, eyes full of worry. "Down the hall to the left; why?"

"Thank you!" Haruhi ripped the napkin from her lap and placed it on the table as she stood up. "Excuse me."

The three watched as she hurried out of the dining room. "Is she alright?" asked Yuzuru, setting down his fork.

Tamaki shrugged. "I don't...know." He turned to Ranka. "Do you want me to check on her?"

"Please," Ranka told him, concerned. Tamaki immediately got up from the table and headed to the small washroom just down the hallway.

"Haruhi?" asked Tamaki, knocking on the door. He pressed his ear up against it, and was somewhat relieved to hear the sound of vomiting. "Can I come in?"

"Yeah—" Haruhi was cut short by another wave of vomit, and Tamaki opened the door to find her head in the toilet.

"Are you okay?" Tamaki went over to the toilet and bent down next to Haruhi. "What happened? Is there anything I can get you?"

Haruhi laughed uncomfortably and looked up at him. "Everything I read about hating foods you used to love, I always thought it would never happen to me, but I guess I was wrong." She scoffed before gagging, and resumed throwing up.

Grabbing Haruhi's shoulders to help steady her, Tamaki sighed. "I'm sorry. I wish I would have known; I could have asked something else to be made. Do you want me to ask the chefs to make you something else?"

Haruhi shook her head, both out of general politeness and uncomfortableness with the special treatment. "No, it's fine," she coughed, making sure she was finished before continuing. "I haven't tried the potatoes or spinach yet. I'll be fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure." Haruhi put the lid down and flushed before standing up. As she started to wash her hands, she let out a loud sigh. "I don't know, I think I'm having second thoughts about this whole thing. I mean, I'm _fifteen years old_ ; I'll be sixteen in February. I thought it was bad enough that my dad was 20 when I was born! And I don't think I'm ready to move out yet, not to mention _have a baby_."

Tamaki sighed. "Haruhi, remember, you're not going to be far away—"

Haruhi whipped her head around, eyes wide and filled with some kind of anger Tamaki had never seen before. "I _know_ I'm not going to be far away from home!" she snapped. "You're not making the situation any better; you're just reiterating things I already know!"

Tamaki was frozen; Haruhi had never really snapped like this before.

"And do you know what the worst part about all this is?!" continued Haruhi, eyes welling up. "I don't even really feel anything for the baby yet!"

Tamaki felt his heart breaking as he watched tears begin to stream down Haruhi's cheeks. "What?" he croaked.

."I hate it! I hate it so much, Tamaki! I feel like a terrible human being! I thought that I fell in love with the baby the first time we saw the ultrasound, but I don't feel the same way now and I have no idea what happened! Like, I know it's there and stuff, and I take everything the doctor prescribed, and I try to eat healthy, but I don't know! I don't know if it's because I haven't felt the baby move yet or because I'm not really big yet and can still wear my normal clothes or what, but it still hasn't set in that I'm gonna be a mom and you're gonna be a dad and we're gonna live together and raise a baby together but we're only in high school and—"

"Haruhi!" The sound of Tamaki saying her name silenced her, and she looked up at him with watery eyes. "Calm down. You're overthinking things." He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her body into his. "Why didn't you tell me earlier? Sometimes talking about it is the best thing to do."

Haruhi sniffed. "I didn't want you to be sad or upset, since it's your baby, too."

"We're in this together, Haruhi. You can tell me anything." Tamaki let go of the hug, but kept his hands on Haruhi's shoulders. "I have no doubt that you're going to be a great mom. It's only been two months since we found out, so you have the rest of the pregnancy to figure things out. That's at _least_ six months, Haruhi." He dropped his hands from her shoulders and hesitated, but gently placed a hand on Haruhi's stomach. "I love our baby _so much_ , Haruhi. Believe me, you _aren't_ a bad person, and you're going to be a _great_ mother."

Despite everything that just happened, as well as having known Tamaki and his personality since the first day of high school, Haruhi was caught a bit off-guard by his sudden display of affection, but eventually rested her hand on top of his.

After a few seconds, Tamaki pulled away and grabbed Haruhi's hand. "Come with me," he told her, leading her out of the bathroom and down the hallway. "I want to show you something."

"But shouldn't we go back to dinner?" asked Haruhi as she glanced back at the door that led into the dining room.

"It'll be really quick, and it'll make you feel better." He let go of Haruhi's hand as the two headed up a staircase.

"Where are we going?" Haruhi carefully surveyed her surroundings as she followed Tamaki, but couldn't conclude where exactly they were headed to.

"You'll see."

The two approached a large set of white double doors accented with gold (paint? Real gold? Haruhi was too scared to ask). Tamaki pushed open the doors and immediately walked to the other side of the room.

While Tamaki was doing whatever he had come to the room to do, Haruhi stared at the large room's elaborate decorations and furniture. "Is this...your bedroom?!" she asked Tamaki, dumbfounded (though, to be honest, she couldn't imagine him living in anything less ornate).

"Yep. Now, I'm looking for— ah! Here it is!"

Haruhi went over to Tamaki, who had just placed a large white book on the bed. "What's that?"

"My mother gave it to me before I left France," Tamaki explained, tracing the spine over with his fingers. "A scrapbook. She made me one before I left, too—full of pictures of us together. She gave this one to me to fill with pictures of stuff I've done with my friends here, but I just...forgot about it. Never got around to putting anything in it." He opened it. "Until now."

Haruhi leaned over the bed to get a better look and quietly exclaimed in surprise. Though not quite put together, the front page—really, a plastic sleeve over a blank piece of cardstock—was stuffed with pictures. There was a copy of every single ultrasound, as well as detailed notes of every single doctor's appointment they had been to. Haruhi slowly turned the page and found the other side of the sleeve filled with pictures Tamaki had printed out from the trip to Boston.

"I'm making it for the baby," Tamaki continued. "I've been thinking about it a lot, and _yes_ , we _are_ way too young to be dealing with something like this, but there's no reason why we can't do the best job that we can. I want our child to know that they can do anything they put their mind to, just like how we're taking our chances and doing this. I don't want to actually start putting it together, until I have more pictures, but I thought it would be a good keepsake for when the baby's older…"

Haruhi continued to thumb through the empty pages absentmindedly. "I don't know what to say, wow…" She closed the book before standing up straight and looking at Tamaki. "Look, I'm sorry for everything I said earlier when I was a godawful hormonal mess—"

"Haruhi, for the last time: _it's fine_. I understand you have a lot of conflicting feelings that are hard to put into words. I hope you feel a lot better now." Tamaki put the book back inside the armoire and closed the door. "Let's get back to dinner. We certainly wouldn't want to keep our fathers waiting, would we?"

* * *

 **(A/N) So! The previous chapter would have been a very long hot mess if I hadn't decided to split it up into 2 chapters. I'm very happy I did!**

 **I decided to go ahead and update because I have a research paper due in 2 weeks that's probably going to take a lot of my time. For those of you who don't know, I'm taking 2 classes this summer, so I already have to do notes and homework, and this research paper is going to push it really close. However, if I manage my time well, I should have time to write! (spoiler alert: I won't manage my time well) Also, July is Camp NaNoWriMo and I have a goal of 5k words, which isn't much, but that should at _least_ be another chapter.**

 **The next chapter will introduce...some conflicts. That's all I'm going to say on the matter.**

 **Reviews are very much appreciated, as always!**

 **Thanks so much to** Titou Douh **for helping me with the French in this chapter!**


	14. What Ifs

_~One week later~_

Squeezing Haruhi in a tight hug, Ranka bid his daughter farewell. "Don't be afraid to call or come visit if you get lonely," he told her tearfully, letting go of the hug to look at her again before squeezing her once more. "Gosh, with Mei leaving this evening, it's going to be very lonely…"

"Dad, I'll be half an hour away," Haruhi reminded him, smiling. "Besides, it's only until we get things figured out."

"But we don't know how long that will take." Ranka wiped a tear from his eye. "I love you, Haruhi. Have fun—but not _too_ much fun."

Haruhi rolled her eyes. "I'm pregnant; there's not much else I can do," she mumbled before turning to Mei.

Mei smiled at the other teen. "Thanks for being so welcoming. I have no idea when I'll see you again, but keep in touch! I don't know, maybe I'll make some baby clothes or something…"

Haruhi softly laughed before picking up one of her bags. "Thanks for not being a terrible roommate. I'm sure I'll have a _lot_ of free time, so let me know what works best for you!"

"Will do," replied Mei. "Have fun."

Haruhi waved at her father and friend and started to walk off, but was stopped by another hug from Ranka. "I'm not ready for my little girl to leave yet," he sobbed into her shoulder, causing Haruhi to drop her bag.

"Dad, it'll be _fine_ ," she reassured. "I'll call you as soon as I get there, okay?"

Ranka nodded before hugging Haruhi a final time. "Alright. I love you, Haruhi."

"I love you too, Dad." Haruhi picked up her bag before walking down the stairs to meet the chauffeur.

Haruhi hadn't been nervous about it before, but the ride to the second Suoh mansion gradually made her nerves build up. She didn't know if it was because she was _actually_ leaving home despite not being an adult, or knowing that this meant she'd be becoming an adult before being legally classified as such, but the closer the limousine got to the mansion the more she regretted her decision.

The limo rolled up to the gate, and after pulling through once it opened, pulled around to the side of the mansion underneath a large porte-cochère. After coming to a stop, the chauffeur opened the door for Haruhi. As she got out of the car, a female servant exited the house and met Haruhi at the foot of the stairs.

"You must be Miss Fujioka," she said with a smile. "My name is Itsuko, and I'll be attending to you during your stay. We're delighted you're staying with us for the next few months."

Haruhi forced a smile as she watched Itsuko grab her bags. _Oh, god_ , she thought, _what have I gotten myself into?_

After they entered the mansion through the side entrance, Itsuko led Haruhi down a long hallway into the oversized foyer, and up the grand staircase to another hallway. This hallway wasn't as long, though, and after barely walking down it Itsuko stopped in front of a large door. "This will be your bedroom," she told her, setting down a bag to open the door for Haruhi.

Haruhi nervously peeked her head inside before entering. The room was huge— size- wise, it was comparable to Tamaki's bedroom, but this didn't make it any less impressive. The white walls were ornately paneled, and the similarly - colored marble floors shined. Large windows stretched from floor to ceiling and made the room feel bright and welcoming. A small couch faced the fireplace, above which a flat screen TV was hung. On the opposite side of the room was a queen- sized bed, covered by a netted canopy hanging from the wall. Next to it was a large armoire, and on the other side was a desk the perfect size for doing schoolwork at. It was unlike any room she'd ever stayed in, and she couldn't help but stare.

Itsuko noticed Haruhi's strange behavior and frowned. "Is something wrong, Miss?"

Haruhi studied her surroundings a bit more. "No, no, of course not, it's just…nothing like what I'm used to."

"Oh!" gasped Itsuko. "Is there anything I can do to make you feel more at home, Miss?"

Itsuko's misunderstanding embarrassed Haruhi more than anything. "No, I don't mean it negatively! This bedroom itself feels much larger than my apartment."

Itsuko looked at Haruhi sympathetically, understanding what this implied. "Well, please make yourself at home. And if you need anything, _please_ don't hesitate to ask me. Don't feel like you're inconveniencing me, Miss; after all, this _is_ my job."

"Thank you." Haruhi smiled as Itsuko bowed and exited the room.

Sighing, Haruhi walked over to the bed and sat down. _Where's Tamaki?_ she thought, bouncing up and down a little to try and get a feel for the mattress. _I thought he'd be the one to help me with everything… It's unlike him to not say anything if he had other plans for tonight_ …

Right then the door to the bedroom burst open. "Haruhi!" sang Tamaki, dancing over to the side of the bed. "What do you think? I picked out the second- best bedroom for you!"

" _Second-_ best?"

"Compared to mine." Tamaki continued to smile. "We're going to have so much fun! It'll be like a sleepover _every single night_ , except we'll have our own bedrooms!"

"I can't wait," Haruhi sighed, rolling her eyes.

"Okay, so, dinner's usually at 6:30, and if you tell the chefs you want something they'll make it. If I remember correctly, dinner tonight's supposed to be filet mignon…" Tamaki thought for a moment before finding his train of thought. "Oh, one of the servants will come get you when it's time. You can tell them when you want to be woken up, too, and what time you want to take a bath, and they'll bring you anything whenever you request it—"

"Tamaki, slow down." Haruhi sighed again and stood up. "It's a _lot_ of information, and it'll take me a really long time to get used to this…"

"Take as long as you need. The house staff is really laid- back, and they're always happy to help if you need anything."

"Isn't that their job?"

Tamaki sharply inhaled. "That's beside the point. Anyway, I'll leave you here to unpack and get settled. My room's just right down the hall."

As Tamaki left the room, Haruhi sat back down on the bed before falling backwards. She stared at the ceiling, wide- eyed, before letting out a long, frustrated groan.

"What the _hell_ have I gotten myself into?"

* * *

Since the incident with the Host Club at the beginning of July, the Newspaper Club had striven to write only the best material that would make Ouran proud. Gone were the days of mindless gossip and hearsay; the club had shifted its focus over to reporting legitimate stories that would pique every student's interest, not just those interested in poorly written rumors. This tactic was slowly but surely proving to be effective, as sales had climbed exponentially since the newspaper's change of style.

Chikage and Tomochika had gone home early, leaving Akira to wrap up the day's work. As Akira put the finishing touches on one of the featured articles of the next issue, he heard a knock at the door.

"Come in," he called, not even glancing up as whoever knocked entered the room. "Can I help you?"

"No, but _we_ can help _you_."

Akira looked up at the unfamiliar voice and saw three young ladies in school uniforms that did not resemble Ouran's in the slightest. After staring at them for a few moments, however, he recognized which school they were from.

"Oh!" he exclaimed softly, briefly setting his work aside to converse with the three visitors. "You're from Lobelia, aren't you?"

None other than the Zuka Club approached the desk. "Precisely," said Benio, holding out her hand in a manner similar to the way Tamaki often did. "Allow me to introduce ourselves. We are the ruling council of the Zuka Club, a division of Lobelia's White Lily League."

Akira studied the three's faces hard, and after a moment his memory was jogged. "Oh, you performed at the Cultural Exposition in June! It was very... _enlightening_."

"We're quite pleased you think so," Benio replied.

Adjusting his glasses, Akira glanced at the time on his laptop. "Now, what can I help you ladies with?"

Benio smirked. "I believe we can provide some information on a particular _student of interest_."

Akira's eyes narrowed. "What student in particular, may I ask?"

The Zuka Club all crossed their arms simultaneously, each grinning just like their leader. "Haruhi Fujioka."

Akira's eyes lit up from behind his glasses as he prepared his laptop to take notes. "Oh! Many students enjoyed the piece I wrote about the study abroad program in Boston he's currently attending."

Benio, Chizuru, and Hinako all exchanged glances before Benio responded. "I believe you're speaking of the program _she's_ currently attending."

"What?" Akira asked. He wasn't sure if he was imagining things, or if he had just misheard. "I'm sorry, are we speaking of the same person? Haruhi Fujioka's the first-year scholarship student, and he's a member of the exclusively _male_ Host Club."

"Oh, but I believe you're mistaken." Benio relaxed and nodded at Hinako, who produced a manila folder and held it out for Akira. "If you'll read through these documents, you'll see that _Miss_ Fujioka has been keeping her true gender a secret from day one."

Akira slowly reached for the envelope, but immediately froze. "Hold on a second," he said, raising an eyebrow. "I don't know who you people are or who sent you, but the Newspaper Club and the Host Club came to an agreement that we would no longer treat the _Ou Spo_ like a low-class tabloid magazine."

"Let's just put it this way: the St. Lobelia Girls' Academy Zuka Club has strong connections to the Fujioka family." Benio's smirk grew larger. "And I think you'll be happy to learn this information isn't just hearsay, it's _absolutely true._ "

The Newspaper Club president hesitated for a moment before snatching the envelope from Hinako's hand. After removing the enclosed papers, he carefully scanned each document up and down, eyes opening wider and wider with each one he read.

"I guess you...weren't lying." Akira stared at the photocopy of Haruhi's middle school ID card, which boldly stated her sex as female. The other documents, pictures from Haruhi's middle school days as well as some of her in Zuka Club garb, only confused him further. "But...why would he—she—whatever—feel the need to do this?"

Benio shrugged. "Beats me. However, I _do_ know the Host Club is to blame. Take that as you will."

While Akira took time to process what the Zuka Club had just told him, Chizuru smiled. "That's not all we came to tell you, however," said the Zuka Club vice president, placing her hands on the desk.

Akira cocked his head and furrowed his brow. He was already having enough trouble processing the "Haruhi Fujioka is actually female" thing, and he wasn't completely sure if he could handle anything else at the moment. "...Go ahead," he told her cautiously.

All three Zuka Club members stared Akira down, making him sweat. Not only was he uncomfortable with the overall situation, he was also terrified of what this second piece of information was.

Smiling, Benio began. "I regret to inform you—"

"Do you _really_ regret, Benibara-sama?" interrupted Hinako.

Chizuru smiled. "I don't think she does."

Benio glared at them. "—that Haruhi Fujioka is also _carrying_ a rather large problem."

The Newspaper Club president took off his glasses and sighed while rubbing his face. "What, like what you've already told me isn't a problem enough?"

"Well, this particular problem won't really become a problem until after, hmm, I'd say about... _ten months_." **

Akira glared as he put his glasses back on. "What, you're meaning to tell me that _Haruhi Fujioka_ , the _scholarship student and the top of their class_ , is _pregnant_? Yeah, right."

Hinako smiled and whipped out a disc. "Fortunately for you, the Zuka Club _always_ films its rehearsals for future reference and quality control," she told him, setting it on the desk. "This one disc provides all the proof you need."

As he slid the disc towards himself, Akira popped open the disc drive on the laptop before sticking the disc in. A window immediately popped open, revealing the dress rehearsal of _The Señorita in Reminiscence_.

"One hour, 37 minutes, and 52 seconds," Chizuru said.

Akira found the specific moment and clicked, carefully watching and listening to what was going on. Although he didn't understand the context at all, he could tell the person in the ridiculous makeup, ornately- styled hair, and Victorian ball gown was, in fact, Haruhi.

He watched, confused, as Haruhi and who he assumed to be Benio were raised up on a ridiculously tall platform. The two began to lean in for a kiss, and Akira became increasingly uncomfortable.

" _Don't_!" yelled a voice from off- screen, and Haruhi and Benio stopped short.

" _Tamaki?! What are you doing he—"_

As Haruhi began to fall off the platform, a large group of men that could only be the Host Club ran onstage. " _Haruhi!_ " yelled a voice as she landed on a crash pad.

Benio walked to the edge of the platform. " _Well, I see you all have finally decided to make an appearance._ "

This time, an unfamiliar man with his long hair in a ponytail rushed to Haruhi's aid. " _Are you okay? Is the baby okay?_ "

Akira stopped, staring blankly at the screen. "The…baby?"

"Precisely." Benio turned around and began to walk away, Chizuru and Hinako following close behind. "You have our permission to do whatever you'd like with this information. You have evidence; have fun with it."

"But—" Akira stood up and started to go after the Zuka Club. "—when was this? Who's…responsible?"

As the Zuka Club exited the Newspaper Club meeting room, Benio looked over her shoulder, smiling slyly. "I think I'll let _you_ figure that out on your own."

* * *

The last customers of the day had just left, leaving the Host Club to tidy up and return the furniture back to its original placement. Now that Haruhi wasn't there to keep relative order and (try to) talk sense into everyone, it took twice as long to clean up before the day's end.

A knock at the door caused everyone to pause what they were doing and look up. Kyoya, who was closest to the door, saved the weekly request spreadsheet before setting down his iPad and checking to see who it was.

"Hm?" Seeing the president of the Newspaper Club outside Music Room #3 caught Kyoya a bit off-guard, and he glanced back at the other Hosts before cautiously answering. "How may I help you, Komatsuzawa-senpai?"

"Ootori-kun, can we step outside for a moment?"

Kyoya stepped outside the room and closed the door behind him. "So what did you come here to discuss?"

Akira hesitated. "It's something I believe is of the utmost importance. Would you mind if we went back to the Newspaper Club room to discuss it?"

Kyoya nodded and followed Akira down the hallway, discreetly opening the Voice Memos app on his phone and hitting "record" as he did so.

The two reached the room and Akira shut the door behind them. "I'm going to be very honest with you, Ootori-kun. I feel like I was told this because the people who told me are holding some sort of grudge," said Akira, walking over to the desk and sitting in the chair behind it.

Kyoya was intrigued. "Oh?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "Why do you suspect that? Who were these people?"

"They were from Lobelia. Some club called the Zuka Club…"

Kyoya's heart dropped and began racing, but he kept his cool as he continued to question Akira. "Hm, I see. What exactly did they want?"

Akira drummed his fingers on the desk, simultaneously trying to remember and process everything the Zuka Club had told him. "Well, first, they told me Fujioka-san is really a girl..."

 _First_?! Kyoya felt another pang of anxiety hit him.

"They showed me some pictures, too," continued Akira. "Of course, they could have been photoshopped, or actually cosplay or photos from some sort of Host Club event… I didn't really know what they wanted, so I just went along with that they told me."

Kyoya took in this information before continuing with his questions. "And what else did they tell you?" he cautiously asked.

Akira's face twisted into a confused expression. "Then they told me that Fujioka-san is…pregnant?"

That one sentence was the final piece of the chain reaction to set Kyoya off. "They told you _what_?!" he exclaimed, a tad too aggressively.

"I found it a very strange thing to tell me. If Fujioka-san really _is_ a girl, sure, that would definitely have the potential to start some sort of scandal here, but overall it's no one's business but his. But suggesting a _pregnancy_?" The president leaned back in his chair. "That honestly sounds more like _hatred_. Hatred so strong they'd be willing to start a ridiculous rumor."

Kyoya didn't respond, instead allowing his anger to grow.

Akira took notice of Kyoya's silence and the negative vibes that were filling the air. "Ootori-kun?" he asked. "Are these rumors…true?"

Kyoya shot a piercing glare. "I'm very sorry, but I can neither confirm nor deny these rumors."

He very well knew this was essentially confirming everything, but he didn't know what else to do. If he denied it, there was a large possibility of the Zuka Club finding someone else to relay the information to. On the other hand, if he confirmed it…well, that would be self-explanatory. He couldn't just rat Haruhi out like that.

Akira frowned. "Are you sure? I'd certainly like to help if this 'Zuka Club' really has anything against you, or Fujioka-san, or the Host Club. I _swear to you_ , I will _not_ say anything to _anyone_."

Kyoya sighed lengthily. "Once again, I cannot confirm nor deny these rumors. Thank you for making me aware of this." He abruptly turned around and exited the room.

Kyoya stormed back to Music Room #3, seething with rage. Not only was he furious with the Zuka Club's ruling council, he was angry at himself as well. How had it not occurred to him that the Zuka Club knowing would pose a problem? In his mind, his own negligence was to blame for the spreading of Haruhi's closely-guarded secret. However, he was able to hide his anger until the moment he returned to the Host Club.

He let the double doors slam behind him as he entered, causing the other members to look up. "Kyo-chan?" asked Honey, watching as the other Host walked to the other side of the room. "Are you alright?"

Rather than responding, Kyoya instead allowed his anger to fester, as he clenched his jaw and flared his nostrils. "Dammit!" he shouted as he kicked the wall, leaning his head against it after he had let out all the immediate rage.

Everyone stared at the youngest Ootori in shock before Tamaki cautiously approached him. "Kyoya…? Are you alright?"

Kyoya whipped his head around, eyes glaring. "It's that goddamn Zuka Club," he said through clenched teeth. "They've told them."

"What?" asked Tamaki. "Who? They've told _who_ what?"

"The Newspaper Club." Kyoya grimaced. "They've told the Newspaper Club that Haruhi's a female."

The other Hosts exclaimed in disbelief.

"Not only that," continued Kyoya bitterly, "but they've also informed them that she's pregnant. _With proof_."

The other Hosts gasped, but Tamaki's eyes went blank. "Well shit."

"'Well shit'?" repeated Kaoru, crossing his arms. "Is that _really_ the only thing you have to say?"

Glaring at the younger Hitachiin twin, Tamaki fell back into a couch, exasperated. "If you haven't noticed, the past three months of my life have been an endless string of 'well shit'. I _guess_ this pertains to the situation, but I really don't understand why _Haruhi_ has to be the one to carry all the burdens."

"Tama-chan, Haru-chan's the girl…" Honey told him.

"I don't mean it like _that_ , Honey-senpai. Everyone can take one look at Haruhi and know what she did, but no one knows what _I_ did unless I tell them! How is that fair? It's both of our faults, but she's the one who has to stay home all day and lie to literally the _entire school_ in order to have a _chance_ of graduating on time. No one's blaming _me_ , and _I'm_ equally responsible!"

"Tamaki, I wholeheartedly agree with everything you just said, but that's not _quite_ what we're concerned about right now," Kyoya told him. "Right now, we need to figure out what exactly the Newspaper Club could do with this information, and how we'll be able to prepare for any backlash..." Kyoya reached for his phone, and suddenly remembered the Voice Memo was still recording. "...However, I _was_ able to record _every single thing_ I was told."

"Kyoya, you're brilliant!" Tamaki enveloped his friend in a sudden hug. "That way, if the Newspaper Club tries to sabotage the Host Club again, we have proof of what actually happened—" He stopped short, realizing what he had said. "—if the Newspaper Club...tries to sabotage...the Host Club…"

"Fortunately, from what Komatsuzawa-san told me, it's the _Zuka Club_ who's doing the sabotaging. They just want to use the Newspaper Club to accomplish the goal." Kyoya pressed play on the recording, and fast-forwarded to the part of the conversation where Akira stated his thoughts on the pregnancy rumor. "It seems he believes everything the Zuka Club told him is a lie, which buys us some time to figure out how to counteract."

While the other Hosts let out a sigh of relief, Tamaki continued to think. "I'll talk to Haruhi about it tonight, and see what she thinks should be done," he said, standing up. "It's concerning her, after all…"

Kyoya cringed and switched over to the Notes app. "Is that really a good idea?" he asked. "Remember what happened last time? We wouldn't want her to slip up and make the situation worse. Besides, she really doesn't need to be stressed about anything, especially if the pregnancy is being considered high-risk."

Tamaki hesitated. "Fine," he admitted as he headed towards the prep room to retrieve his school bag. "I trust that you'll be able to handle everything. We'll talk more about it tomorrow."

* * *

Benio, Hinako, and Chizuru watched the scenery as a limousine took them back to Lobelia. "Well, ladies, I think our mission was very successful," Benio said to her peers as she turned to look at them. "If things go as planned, in due time Haruhi Fujioka will no longer be a student at Ouran Academy."

The Zuka Club's celebration was cut short as "what if"s began to be thought of. "How will she continue to go to school if she's raising a baby?" asked Chizuru. "It wouldn't matter if she was a student at Ouran or not. If she has to stay home to take care of the baby, she wouldn't be able to continue her education anyway."

Benio rolled her eyes. "Surely she wouldn't keep it," she said, looking out the window. "The best move for her would be to place it for adoption. _I_ wouldn't be able _stand_ a child who shared DNA with that Host Club idiot. She's too smart and career-driven, anyway."

"But Benibara-sama," argued Hinako, "what if the Newspaper Club _doesn't_ report on the information we gave? Our entire plan will have been in vain!"

Benio scoffed. "Nonsense, Hinagiku. Our _insider information_ is front page- worthy, and besides, the Newspaper Club seemed quite receptive. But..." She flashed a cunning smile.

"... if _he_ isn't going to do anything about it, _we_ will."

* * *

 **** In Japan, pregnancy is considered to last 10 months instead of 9. (which makes sense because 40 weeks = roughly 10 months)**

 **(A/N) Okay so I finished this chapter extra early! My research paper is almost done, by the way—I have one more paragraph of new info, intro & conclusion, and then some editing.**

 **I'm super excited for these new developments! From hereon out, things will be getting a lot more interesting.**

 **Also I made a house in the Sims loosely based off of what I think the second Suoh mansion would look like. You can see Tamaki's and Haruhi's bedrooms, too.**

 **imgur gallery / nJu7UvA**


	15. Honesty is the Best Policy

**(A/N) The first section of this chapter takes place the morning of the day where the last chapter left off.**

* * *

 _~That morning~_

Haruhi sat up and opened her eyes as the door to the bedroom opened. In waltzed Itsuko, carrying a tray and beaming. "Good morning, Miss," she said, walking over to the bed. "Here is your daily iron supplement, and a glass of water." She sat the tray down on the bedside table. "Breakfast will be ready soon. Would you like me to open the curtains?"

Haruhi rubbed her eyes, eyes still halfway closed. "No, thank you. Can I just come down when I get up?"

"Certainly, Miss. No need to feel rushed. We can keep the food warm as long as you need."

"Thanks." Haruhi watched as Itsuko bowed and began to walk off, but stopped her. "Wait. Where's Tamaki?"

"Oh, he left for school about half an hour ago. It's eight o'clock right now."

Haruhi blinked. "Thanks, Itsuko-san."

Itsuko bowed before exiting the room.

Haruhi rolled over and grabbed her phone, checking the time and her notifications. "That idiot didn't even say goodbye," she mumbled, looking at her text messages. Zero from Tamaki, and approximately fifty million from Ranka.

 _How is everything?_

 _Are they treating you well?_

 _It's lonely without you_.

She decided so many text messages would warrant a phone call, but that would have to wait until later.

She briefly stretched, savoring the warmth of the silk sheets and quilted comforter. Sleeping in that bed had been the most comfortable she'd been in weeks, and she snuggled further under the sheets. "Just five more minutes…"

The next thing she knew, Haruhi was jolted awake by stern knocking on the bedroom door. "You weren't planning on sleeping all day, were you?" called an unfamiliar voice.

Haruhi sat up, and an older woman entered the bedroom. "Good morning, Miss Fujioka," she said. "I am Shima Maezono, the chief of staff. You may call me Shima-san. Master Tamaki has entrusted me with overseeing your homeschool studies. This includes being on a semi-normal schooling schedule, which will begin at approximately 9 am every weekday."

 _Did I oversleep that long?!_ Haruhi found her phone entangled in the bedsheets and checked the time. 9:06.

"Shima-san," began Haruhi uneasily, "will I be able to eat breakfast?"

"Well, certainly; I don't want you to starve." Shima went over to the windows and briskly opened the curtains, allowing sunlight to stream through the large panes. "I am here simply to provide your day with some type of structure, and ensure you stay on top of your studies as much as possible. Your day will begin at nine o'clock with history. English is at ten, and mathematics at eleven. A lunch break at noon, then literature at one o'clock. I have other duties I must perform, but I will periodically check to make sure you're staying on-schedule and _on-topic_."

"That's…very kind of you." Haruhi yawned. She paused. "On second thought…would I be able to have my breakfast brought up here so I can go ahead and get started?"

After a very filling meal of assorted fruit and a bagel with cream cheese, Haruhi began her history work, which she had generously allowed herself to slack off on for the day. _It_ is _my first day here,_ she thought as she opened up the worksheet for the chapter she had just finished. ' _How did the Romans perceive the culture of the Gauls'?_ she pondered, quickly toggling back and forth between the worksheet and the tab with the PDF version of her textbook. _Maybe I shouldn't have slacked off so much…_

As she prepared to write a response, she felt the familiar feeling of nausea. "I thought that was supposed to be over by now!" she groaned, reluctantly standing up before hurrying into the bathroom.

While Haruhi was hunched over the toilet, Itsuko came into the bedroom to collect the food tray and dishes. "Miss?" she asked, looking around for Haruhi.

It wasn't until she heard the sounds of retching coming from the bathroom that Itsuko knew where Haruhi was. "Miss?" she repeated, knocking on the bathroom door before entering. "Are you alright?"

In Haruhi's urgent need to vomit she had failed to close the door to the toilet, and Itsuko cautiously approached her. "Is everything alright, Miss?"

Haruhi weakly nodded before succumbing to the urge to throw up once again. Itsuko cringed and took a step back. "Was something wrong with your breakfast? I can ask to have the fruit inspected…"

"No, it's—fine." Smiling lightly, Haruhi looked up at Itsuko and flushed the toilet. "Just morning sickness, that's all."

"Morning…sickness?"

Haruhi's face quickly went white. "Wait. Tamaki didn't tell you…?"

"No, Miss," Itsuko said, avoiding eye contact.

"...Oh." Haruhi stood up and went over to the sink to wash her hands. "It's...pretty obvious at this point, though."

"It's always rude to ask, Miss." Itsuko watched as Haruhi dried her hands. "Would you like me to take your dishes?"

"That would be wonderful; thank you." Itsuko bowed in response before exiting the bathroom, and Haruhi sighed before deciding to get back to her schoolwork.

* * *

 _~That afternoon~_

Tamaki quickly greeted his house staff before rushing upstairs and throwing his school bag into his room. He took off his blazer and threw it on the bed before heading down the hallway to Haruhi's room.

"Haruhi?" He knocked on the door before slowly opening it. "Can we talk?"

Haruhi, who was sitting at the desk doing schoolwork on the computer Tamaki had generously supplied, covered her mouth before turning around. "I'm eating," she mumbled, standing up before swallowing her food and walking over to Tamaki. "I was wanting to talk, too."

"Oh, um, you go first." Tamaki sat down on the sofa, Haruhi sitting next to him. As he turned to look at her, he caught a glimpse of her bare feet, toenails painted a powder blue. "Did you get…a pedicure?"

"Mei made me go with her before we had dinner last week," said Haruhi, eyeing the polish uncomfortably.

"It looks nice."

"Thanks." The two sat in awkward silence for a moment before Haruhi continued. "Anyway, my 18 week appointment is this week. Do you know what that means? There's a possibility of the doctor being able to tell what it is."

Tamaki's eyes lit up. "Really?"

"Shh, let me finish. Anyway, I've been thinking, and…wouldn't it be more fun to wait until the baby's born to find out?"

Tamaki frowned. "Why would you want to wait when we can go ahead and find out?"

"I don't know, maybe because I'm worried about the small chance of the doctor being wrong?" Haruhi shrugged. "Look, when I talked to Renge last month, it got me thinking, and I realized that I truly, honestly, _do not_ have a preference. I know it's cliché, but I don't care what the baby is; I just want it to be healthy."

Tamaki pondered this for a moment. "Wouldn't that just make it harder to prepare for the baby, though? How will we know what clothes to buy, or how to decorate the baby's room?"

Haruhi raised her eyebrows. "Tamaki, gender-neutral baby clothes exist, as does furniture." She sighed and placed a hand over her stomach. "I don't know, if you want to find out what it is, go for it. Just make sure the doctor tells you in private and that I absolutely _do not_ find out."

Tamaki didn't know what to say, as he hadn't realized Haruhi had such a strong opinion on the topic.

"Anyway," continued Haruhi, "what was it you wanted to talk about?"

Tamaki gulped. "Well, it's…kind of bad news."

Haruhi's eyes narrowed. "What kind of bad news?"

Tamaki smiled nervously. "Someone _may_ have found out that you're pregnant?"

"What the hell?!" Haruhi exclaimed, jumping in surprise. "What did you tell them?!"

"Me? I didn't tell them anything!" Tamaki waved his arms in defense. "It was the Zuka Club! They told the Newspaper Club everything!"

Haruhi pursed her lips in anger. "The _Newspaper Club_?" she repeated. "The _Newspaper Club_ knows I'm pregnant?"

"Okay, calm down. There's a silver lining, I promise."

"What kind of silver lining comes from the _Newspaper Club_ knowing my two deepest, darkest secrets?!"

"Shh, Haruhi, listen." Tamaki put his hands on Haruhi's shoulders in an attempt to calm her. "The Newspaper Club president went directly to Kyoya to tell him about it. From what Kyoya told me, it sounds like the Newspaper Club doesn't believe it's true. The president even said he thinks the Zuka Club made up a rumor out of spite. Kyoya recorded the entire conversation as proof."

Haruhi shrugged Tamaki's hands off of her and sighed. "So did Kyoya tell him?"

Tamaki shook his head. "No, he left it up for debate. He was surprisingly angry about it, though—like, actually, _visibly_ angry. He said he's going to try to think of what to do about the whole situation before setting a definitive course of action."

Haruhi considered this for a moment before sighing and standing up. " _I_ think we should just set the record straight."

Tamaki furrowed his brow. "What?" he asked.

"Think about it: what if the Newspaper Club president, say, talks to his friends about a Totally Ridiculous Rumor! he heard, and then they get curious about it, and start trying to figure out if it's true?" Haruhi began pacing in front of the couch. "Wouldn't it be a lot safer to just confirm it and explicitly tell him that if he tells anyone, he'll...face the wrath of the Suoh family or something, I don't know. It seems he took Kyoya's warning pretty seriously the first time, though."

"Okay, but that has so much potential to go wrong. Remember that if the wrong person finds out, _you're out of school_."

"Which is why we talk to Kyoya, who is the _business side_ of all this. He can easily pull one of his gimmicks—"

" _Don't_ tell Kyoya about any of this," interrupted Tamaki.

Haruhi raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"He…kind of told me _not_ to tell you. He doesn't want you to be stressed out."

Haruhi scoffed. "Well, so much for that."

"Just swear to me you won't tell Kyoya, or anyone else, okay?" Tamaki sighed and stood up. "I'm going to start on my homework. I'll talk to you at dinner." He exited the room, leaving Haruhi very confused.

 _That was…weird_ , Haruhi thought as she went to sit down on the bed. Placing her hands over her stomach, she leaned back and looked at the ceiling. "Why are you a problem?" she whined, before catching herself. "Oh my god, I'm a terrible person. I just told my child it's a problem!"

She sat up, and her eyes wandered over to the bedside table, where her phone was charging. She hesitated for a moment before unplugging it and picking it up.

 _I think we should tell him_.

At the Ootori mansion, Kyoya had just started on his homework when his phone buzzed. Sighing, he set down his textbook to check it.

His eyes read over the text message and he let out a forceful sigh.

"I'm going to fucking kill Tamaki."

* * *

The rest of the day was spent worrying about the Newspaper Club predicament. These worries poured over into the next day as well, which the Host Club members had spent nearly all their free time of wondering about what to do.

"Have we decided what we're gonna do about Haru-chan and the Newspaper Club?" Honey asked. The day's Host Club meeting had ended, and instead of planning for future events, the group had decided to discuss the events of the previous day.

All eyes turned to Kyoya, and he reluctantly pulled out his iPad. "I haven't _exactly_ decided what we're going to do yet," he told everyone, but looking directly at Tamaki. "However, I _did_ stay up all night drafting a unilateral non-disclosure agreement, because _someone_ couldn't keep his mouth shut."

"For the fiftieth time, I'm sorry!"

Kyoya shot Tamaki a glare before continuing. "Anyway, I had a pretty lengthy conversation with Haruhi last night, and she actually raised some valid points. We concluded that since Komatsuzawa-san is already suspicious, it would be best to put his suspicions to rest. I think, in this case, honesty is the best policy."

"Okay, but honestly could _also_ get Haruhi kicked out of school," Tamaki reminded.

The Hitachiins snickered. "Whose fault is that?"

"Now is _not_ the time!" Tamaki began arguing with the twins, much to Kyoya's amusement.

He let the arguing continue for a minute or two before intervening. "Tamaki!" Kyoya pulled up his calendar. "What does this Thursday look like for Haruhi?"

"Haruhi has a doctor's appointment that day, so we have a shortened Host Club meeting, remember?"

"Then we cancel Thursday's meeting altogether," said Kyoya, removing the event from the calendar. "If we're going to do this, we have to have enough time to go through with it in case something goes wrong."

"Go through with _what_?" asked Hikaru cautiously.

Kyoya smirked. "I have a plan."

"Oh no."

* * *

"I am _not_ wearing that."

Hikaru and Kaoru continued to wave an outfit designed by their mother in front of Haruhi's face. "Come _on_!" they pressed.

Haruhi sighed and snatched the peacoat from the Hitachiins. "Why are we treating this like a _top-secret spy mission_?" she asked them as she put the coat on.

"I mean, that's kind of what it is, minus the spy part." Kaoru pulled a pair of sunglasses from his pocket and gave them to Haruhi. "Besides, this actually wasn't even our idea."

Rolling her eyes, Haruhi began to absentmindedly twirl the sunglasses between her fingers. "Why do we have to make this so complicated? Can't we just make sure there's no one in the hallway?"

"No one can know it's you, _including_ the security cameras." Hikaru took a step back to admire the efforts of himself and his brother. "Okay, put the sunglasses on." Haruhi sighed frustratedly, but complied nonetheless. "If I didn't know who was wearing that, I wouldn't be able to tell who it is. You're lucky it's winter. If it were summer, it'd be a lot harder to find something that doesn't scream 'disguise'."

"That doesn't change the fact that it's almost _fourteen degrees_ outside and this is a _heavy coat_ ," retorted Haruhi, removing the sunglasses from her face and scratching at the coat's thick woolen sleeves. "And whose idea was it to make me wear high heels, especially when I _never wear them_ , and am currently _pregnant_?"

"Get it together, Haruhi," Kaoru sighed. "You're pretending to be a _young professional_ who is at Ouran for business-related reasons, so you have to look like one." He grabbed her hand and started to lead her out of the bathroom. "Anyway, keep the coat. It's from our mother's new maternity line."

"Please don't say that word," mumbled Haruhi as she was dragged back into the Hitachiin twins' bedroom.

The rest of the Host Club eagerly awaited Haruhi's transformation, and smiled as she entered the room. Tamaki, however, only focused on how absolutely adorable the feminine coat made Haruhi look. He couldn't help but stare, and quickly realized he had been staring for perhaps _too_ long.

"Okay!" he exclaimed, snapping himself out of his thoughts. "Here's the plan. Kyoya, Hikaru, Kaoru, and I will be in the first car. As soon as we get to Ouran we'll go straight to the Newspaper Club meeting room. Hopefully the president will be there alone, but if he's not, we'll demand we speak to him alone."

Hikaru and Kaoru gave a thumbs up. "Yes, boss."

"Honey-senpai and Mori-senpai, you two will go with Haruhi in the second car. You'll leave approximately five minutes after we do, so we'll have enough time to talk to the Newspaper Club. You'll escort Haruhi from the car to the Newspaper Club meeting room, making sure no one speaks to her on the way there, and text me when you're standing outside."

"Got it!" Honey saluted Tamaki while Mori nodded in understanding.

"Kyoya, you're in charge of recording the entire conversation and keeping everyone in line!"

"It _was_ my plan, wasn't it?" Kyoya smirked.

"Okay!" Tamaki clasped his hands together. "Does everyone know what we're doing?"

Everyone nodded except for Haruhi, who was still utterly confused.

"Then let's get this show on the road."

* * *

Haruhi was at _least_ thankful Honey and Mori had situated themselves on either side of her, as she had had very minimal experience with high heels and marble flooring. So far she hadn't stumbled, but at the rate she was making it, the rest of the Host Club would have _plenty_ of time to talk to the Newspaper Club.

"I feel ridiculous," Haruhi said under her breath as she and the other two headed up a staircase. "Was this really Kyoya-senpai's idea?"

To her surprise, Mori was the one to answer. "Believe it or not, it was," he said, looking down at her. "You don't look ridiculous."

 _I said_ feel _, not_ look, Haruhi thought as they walked down the hallway towards the Newspaper Club room. _God, these sunglasses are dark_ …

"Haru-chan, we're here!" Honey whispered, grabbing her arm as they passed in front of the door. "Takashi, text Tama-chan!"

Mori nodded and pulled out his phone.

Inside the Newspaper Club meeting room, the Host Club was listening to Akira explain, in detail, his meeting with the Zuka Club. Kyoya coolly leaned against the wall, listening and making sure Akira's story lined up with what he was told earlier that week.

"And then they showed me a recording—" Akira popped open the disc drive on his laptop. "—of some man saying something about a baby to Fujioka-san, but I personally think the audio was doctored in some way."

Tamaki felt his phone vibrate in his pocket and caught a quick glance at the text message from Mori. "They're here," he whispered to Kyoya.

"I sincerely would like to help the Host Club, and especially Fujioka-san, if the Lobelia girls have something against the any of you," Akira told them.

As he listened to Akira, Kyoya pushed himself off the wall and walked over to the room's entrance.

"Wait! Where are you going?"

Kyoya smiled and opened the door, revealing Haruhi, Honey, and Mori. Haruhi stepped into the room, bewildered, and took the door closing behind her, Honey, and Mori as the cue to take off her sunglasses.

Akira's eyes widened as he stared at Haruhi in disbelief. "Fujioka-san?"

Haruhi nervously glanced at the other Hosts, who seemed to be encouraging her to say something. "...Hi?"

"I...thought you were supposed to be in Boston."

Haruhi struggled to find the right words to say. _Am I supposed to just tell him outright?_ she thought. _Or is there some sort of secret cue I'm supposed to know about? No one told me anything…_

"I... _did_ go to Boston," she said cautiously, inching closer towards the desk where Akira sat, "but only for a week, though…"

 _Why did I think it was a good idea to go through with this?_

Hesitating, Haruhi resorted to a bow. "I'm sorry," she apologized, "this is just really hard to say…"

Akira gradually smiled sympathetically. "No need to apologize; I understand."

Haruhi smiled in return, but felt an increasing pressure from the rest of the Host Club to get on with it. _It's really hot in here, and this damn coat doesn't help, either…_ She slowly unbuttoned the coat, only adding to the growing tension, and finally slid the garment off her arms. One thing she forgot about, however, was the normally loose top that now clinged to her stomach.

Akira stared at Haruhi's midsection and let out a soft "oh". Her stomach stuck out from the rest of her body in an obvious bump. Not particularly large, but definitely past the stage where it could be interpreted as either fat or a baby.

"So it's…true." Akira tried his hardest not to stare, and Haruhi uncomfortably shifted the coat in her arms to hide her stomach from view.

"Yes."

The room was silent until Kyoya spoke up. "Anyway, Komatsuzawa-senpai, I hope you understand that we are disclosing this private information to you _only_ to assuage your own curiosities," he told the elder student, approaching the desk and tossing a manila folder onto it. "Which is why I am supplying a unilateral non-disclosure agreement."

"What?" asked the Newspaper Club president, taking the folder and pulling the document out of it.

"By signing this agreement, you agree to _never_ share this information with anyone—not your friends, not your family, not _even_ your fellow club members—until the Host Club makes it publicly available," Kyoya stated. "If you fail to abide by the terms of this agreement, may I remind you of the capabilities of my family and their legal team?"

Akira silently skimmed over the agreement's provisions before pulling a pen out of the drawer and signing it.

Sliding the agreement back into the folder, Akira pushed up his glasses. "I assure you I have nothing to gain from the knowledge of this information," he promised, returning the folder to Kyoya.

Kyoya smiled and slipped the folder under his arm. "I'm happy to hear that," he replied. "Thank you for taking time out of your day to speak with us."

* * *

The hospital staff was welcoming as always, and so far Haruhi's doctor appointment had been a breeze. More blood work was done to see if an iron supplement was helping with the anemia at all, and after a brief physical exam Dr. Tsukuda had informed her that her stomach measurements and weight gain lined up perfectly with someone of her stature. The only thing left of the appointment was the ultrasound.

Being pregnant and a soon-to-be mother still hadn't _entirely_ set in with Haruhi yet, but the larger the baby got the more real it seemed. The ultrasound only added to the realness, and she had to admit she _did_ look forward to seeing how much the baby had changed since the last time she saw it.

The doctor squirted ultrasound gel onto Haruhi's stomach, then gently rubbed it around using the wand. "And here is your baby," she announced, and Haruhi and Tamaki eagerly looked at the screen.

By this point, there was no mistaking the thing in Haruhi's stomach for anything but a baby. In fact, the image on the screen looked exactly like a stereotypical sonogram—profile view of the baby, legs curled inward and looking peaceful (could an unborn baby even look peaceful?) Overall, everyone in the room was pleased with what they saw.

Dr. Tsukuda looked more closely at the screen, then back to Haruhi and Tamaki with a smile. "Would you like to know the baby's sex?" she asked.

Haruhi lifted her head and inhaled, about to explain the situation, but Tamaki spoke up before she could say anything.

"Actually," he told the doctor, "we wanted to wait until it's born to find out."

Haruhi blinked, pleasantly surprised, and Dr. Tsukuda continued to smile. "That's perfectly understandable," she said as she turned back to the screen. "Anyway, your baby looks very healthy, and everything's on par with what it's supposed to be at this stage."

Tamaki and Haruhi could do nothing but beam at the image of their child.

The two received another copy of the sonogram, and were very satisfied with that week's doctor's visit. As the limo took them back to the second Suoh mansion, they could do nothing but smile and gaze at the strip of photos they were given.

"It's just so…weird." Haruhi stared at one of the pictures a bit longer before placing a hand on her stomach. " _That_ is inside of me! It's really both scary and fascinating at the same time."

Tamaki laughed softly. "What's _really_ scary is the fact that something that isn't even in this world yet is already loved _so much_."

Haruhi smiled in response. "You know, I was actually surprised at what you told the doctor. Are you _sure_ you're okay with not knowing until the baby's born? I already told you that _you_ can know, just separately from me."

"Haruhi, you're right. It _will_ be more fun to wait until the baby's born to find out." Tamaki's smile grew larger. "Imagine: you push the baby out—"

"I'm having a C-section, remember?"

"—the baby is…removed?—and the doctor holds it up, and announces 'It's a…whatever!' and we're both looking at each other and smiling and crying and the baby is so beautiful and—"

"Okay, I think I get it," Haruhi laughed with an eye roll.

"My point is," continued Tamaki, "ultimately, it doesn't matter. You're right: I know it's cliché, but I just want the baby to be healthy."

* * *

 **(A/N) I met my Camp NaNoWriMo goal with several days to spare! Anyway, I decided to go ahead and update because I'm sending in my laptop for repairs within the next few days, and it could take up to 2 weeks for it to get fixed and sent back to me. I have both a tablet and a family computer, but there's obvious downsides to using either of them to write.**

 **I'm excited for where the story is going! Haruhi's almost to the halfway mark, and things will be getting a lot more interesting from hereon out.**

 **Reviews and feedback are always appreciated! And remember, feel free to follow me on tumblr (merryvrismas). I love talking to my readers!**


	16. In Their Words

Following the Zuka Club's unwelcome visit, both the Host Club and Newspaper Club stayed on high alert, keeping their eyes peeled for anything else meant to damage the reputations of either club or Haruhi. Aside from that fear, though, both clubs continued activities as normal. The Zuka Club, however (read: Benio), was becoming increasingly frustrated.

The ruling council sat alone in a dressing room, far away from the excitement of the rest of the White Lily League and Benibara Fanclub. Benio was furiously combing over the latest issue of the _Ou Spo_ that she had somehow acquired, only to discover it had been published the week prior. "Of course," she said, closing it and tossing it on the ground. " _Nothing_ about Fujioka. It's not even that interesting!"

Chizuru frowned in concern. "Benibara-sama, it's only been a week…"

"A week in which they _could have_ published a new issue." Benio sighed and stood up. "I think it's time to take matters into our own hands."

"What do you mean?"

"Obviously, the Newspaper Club isn't doing their job as a _newspaper_ very well." Raising her eyebrows, Benio turned to look at the other two council members. "Haruhi Fujioka being a female _and_ expecting a baby sure sounds like news to me."

Chizuru and Hinako glanced at each other. "Forgive me if I'm being rude, but I don't think _public humiliation_ would be very effective if we're trying to convince her to come here," Hinako told her.

Benio's eyes narrowed as she flashed a cunning smile. "Not enough issues for public humiliation. _Just enough issues_ to get into the hands of school administrators…"

Hinako raised her eyebrows. "I believe you may be onto something, my dear."

* * *

"Ukyo, Sato," said Akira, "how are the articles for next week's issue coming along?"

"Wonderfully, President." Tomochika turned his laptop around and showed Akira, who nodded in approval. "We may be able to get an early start on the following issue."

"Fantastic. Ukyo, how about you?"

"Just sent you a copy of the articles I've written."

"That's wonderful. I'll be sure to copy them onto the template."

An unknown object suddenly thudded loudly against the window, causing the Newspaper Club to flinch. "What the hell was that?!" Akira rolled his eyes before getting up to check on the condition of the window. "It's not broken this time, thank God…"

"Was it the Host Club?" Chikage asked.

Akira squinted as he pushed the curtains aside, but didn't find anyone in the courtyard of Ouran. "I don't…see anyone," he told him, scanning the area once more. "Besides, they seem to have too much on their plate to be goofing off…" He paused, seemingly thinking. "...You two go check outside. I'll stay here and keep working."

"Yes, President." Tomochika and Chikage bowed to their superior before hurrying out of the room to check outside.

Once the others had left, Akira slowly pushed the desk chair back and stood up. Something wasn't right. He couldn't tell what it was exactly, but he just had a feeling something was going to happen.

He began to pace the room, stopping every minute or so to check the window. Nearly five minutes had passed, the clock's minute hand inching closer and closer to 4:10. No sign of Tomochika nor Chikage.

...What if something bad had happened to either of them?

After hesitating for what felt like forever, Akira made the decision to search for his clubmates.

Unfortunately, in his haste to leave, he forgot to shut his laptop, leaving the draft of the next week's newspaper issue in full view of whoever wanted to see it.

* * *

"They're distracted." Benio smirked and whipped out a flash drive. "Alright. Hinagiku, Suzuran, the two of you wait outside the room and make sure no one comes. If they do, distract them. I'll go inside and see what exactly I can get off of their computer." Her sly smile grew larger. "And soon after, Miss Fujioka will no longer be a problem."

Both Chizuru and Hinako grinned deviously, nodding as they took their positions outside the Newspaper Club meeting room.

Benio slipped inside, both surprised and pleased at how easily everything had worked out so far. Her eyes immediately landed on Akira's laptop, and she slipped into the chair to take a look.

"How pleasantly convenient," she remarked, sliding the flash drive into the USB port. After quickly double-checking the logistics of the editing program and its capabilities, she copied the save file from Akira's hard drive onto the flash drive.

Though the main deed was done, she couldn't help but snoop, combing through the draft of the next issue. Her eyes narrowed in confusion as she skimmed each article, until finally she let out a frustrated sigh.

"I can't believe people actually consume this nonsense," she scoffed, reaching towards the flash drive to remove it.

However, right at this moment, Chizuru and Hinako stuck their heads inside the office. "Benibara-sama, we don't have much time," they reminded her.

Benio glanced at the time, and realized just how long she had been meddling with the Newspaper Club's articles. "4:16 pm," she mumbled under her breath, ripping the flash drive out of the USB port. As she hurriedly stood up, her hand bumped into the keyboard, but after a quick glance at the screen decided nothing had been harmed and ran off.

In her haste, however, she failed to notice that her hand had hit the laptop's keyboard a little _too_ hard.

* * *

 _ **~The next Wednesday~**_

"Good morning, Ms. Ueda," said Yuzuru as he waltzed into his office at Ouran. "Any big plans for today?"

"No, sir, not today" responded the secretary, double-checking the day's schedule sitting on the desk. "Some students from the Newspaper Club stopped by about five minutes ago to drop off an issue of the school newspaper. I just told them to put it in your mailbox."

"Thank you, Ms. Ueda. Have a nice day." Yuzuru nodded deeply before heading to the mailroom.

After grabbing the mail from his box, Yuzuru headed back to his school board office. He tossed the stack of envelopes and papers on his desk before sitting down. After sorting through the various pieces of mail, he came upon the latest issue of _Ou Spo_.

"Let's see… What's going on at Ouran today?" Yuzuru unfolded the paper and his heart immediately dropped to his stomach.

On the front page, right under the headline, a picture of Haruhi taken from her middle school ID card stared back at him. _Haruhi Fujioka: The Hidden Truth_ , he read, causing his blood to boil.

His eyes tore through every word on the front page, his eyes narrowing with each sentence. The article was devious, it was cruel, it was revolting…and the worst part about it was, it was all true.

Yuzuru looked at the clock on the wall. It was only 7:45. There was a decently high possibility no one but himself had acquired a copy of the most recent issue.

It was still possible to prevent any copies from getting into the hands of students.

In an effort to hide his fear and other emotions, Yuzuru calmly rolled up the newspaper as he exited his office and went into the reception area. "Ms. Ueda?" he asked the secretary. "May I ask, what did the students who dropped off the newspaper look like?"

The secretary thought for a minute before replying. "I remember one was tall with brown hair, and the other two were shorter. That's all I remember, unfortunately."

 _Not many clues, but they should be somewhat helpful._ "That should be sufficient enough. Thank you, Ms. Ueda. I should be back soon." With that and a smile, Yuzuru left the office in search of the students responsible for the inexcusable gossip column.

Pleased, Akira smiled as he and the rest of the Newspaper Club organized the copies of the new issue of the _Ou-Spo_ that was to be distributed today. "Okay, gentlemen, I suppose 50 issues per person will suffice—"

The door suddenly opened, and the three scrambled to their feet. "Mr. Chairman—!" they exclaimed, quickly bowing.

Akira smiled and laughed nervously. "Good morning, sir. What brings you here today?"

Yuzuru's expression hardened and he pulled the issue of the _Ou Spo_ he had received out from behind his back. " _This_."

The Newspaper Club president furrowed his brow as he took the newspaper from Yuzuru's hand. " _Haruhi Fujioka: The_ … What?"

Firmly nodding, the chairman took the newspaper back. "I suppose you gentlemen might have any idea of the origins of this…derogatory article?"

As Tomochika and Chikage exchanged confused glances, Akira's eyes bounced between the fresh copies of the day's _Ou Spo_ and the copy Yuzuru had in his hands. "I don't…understand, sir," he admitted, slowly taking steps towards the stacks of newspapers. " _These_ are the issues of the _Ou Spo_ we're distributing today." Akira pulled a copy from the top of a stack and held it up, showing Yuzuru the headline: _Wrestling Club's Overwhelming Victory!_

Yuzuru narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "Hm, that's interesting. My receptionist informed me that three students from the Newspaper Club dropped off a brand new issue of the school newspaper this morning."

"Sir, certainly she must be mistaken. We just got the newspapers in early this morning, and haven't even begun distributing them yet. We've been in this room since seven o'clock this morning, and none of us have left even once."

"Well, gentlemen, may I ask, if you three weren't the ones who wrote this article, then who did?"

Akira thought for a moment before rushing to his laptop. "I'm checking the edit history," he told everyone, pulling up the newspaper document and accessing the file history. "5:49 pm, 5:37 pm…4:16 pm…" He continued to stare at the screen as he stood up straight, then made eye contact with his other club members. "We were out of the room when someone edited the paper. Sir, someone did this on purpose."

Yuzuru once again glanced down at the paper in his hand, Haruhi's pleasant expression making him increasingly uncomfortable. There was no time for doubts. Sighing, he slowly regained eye contact with Akira. "Do you gentlemen know of any particular person, or group, who might have some type of vendetta against Miss Fujioka?"

The Newspaper Club all locked eyes, and a wave of seriousness came upon all three members. "The Zuka Club."

Of course, the only people who had sizeable knowledge of the Zuka Club and their intentions were the Host Club. Due to the nature of the matter, Yuzuru had given each member of both clubs permission to arrive late to their first classes so he could have enough time for a thorough discussion on what to do about the matter.

Both clubs were currently crammed into Yuzuru's office, eyeing each other uncomfortably as Yuzuru placed the offending newspaper on his desk. "Tell me about this 'Zuka Club,'" he said, leaning back in his chair.

iPad in hand, Kyoya took the lead of the discussion. "The Zuka Club is a division of the White Lily League at Lobelia Girls' Academy in Bunkyo. They pride themselves in the performing arts, and the Lobelia student body seems to thoroughly enjoy their performances. However, the Zuka Club also seems to take an elitist standpoint as it pertains to gender and sexuality, as they believe women to be the superior gender."

"But why would the Zuka Club want to damage Miss Fujioka's reputation?" asked Yuzuru.

Kyoya pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "Haruhi's mother was an alumna of both Lobelia Girls' Academy and the Zuka Club, and it appears the current Zuka Club members really value the recruitment of a legacy," he explained. "However, they seem to have taken some offense to Haruhi's choice of high school, and are trying to convince her to make the switch from Ouran to Lobelia while also chastising her for both choosing Ouran instead and hiding her true gender."

Yuzuru was silent for a few moments, seemingly pondering what Kyoya had told him. After regaining his posture, he turned his eyes to his son. "Tamaki, you've been awfully quiet," he said. "What's your opinion on the situation?"

Everyone turned to look at the Host Club King, who had sunken down in his seat. After a few seconds, he admitted, "They're probably doing it because they…hate me for some reason?"

"Do you have any idea _why_ they might dislike you?"

Tamaki scoffed. "To put it in their words, because I 'defiled a delicate flower.'"

The rest of the Host Club stared with blank eyes, while the Newspaper Club slowly turned to face Tamaki. "What?" he asked.

"Tamaki, that's enough." Yuzuru sighed and took another glance at the newspaper before looking back up at both clubs. "Alright. I suppose I will be making several phone calls to the Lobelia headmistress and its school board, if needed. I'm sure you all will be happy to know that I do not wish for any of the offending young ladies to set foot on this campus again until Miss Fujioka graduates." He straightened his back. "Alright, gentlemen, thank you so much for not only informing me about this matter, but also discussing a potential course of action with me. You may return to your classes."

The members of both clubs stood up and began exiting the office, but Yuzuru interrupted their departure.

"Oh, Tamaki?" Tamaki stopped at the sound of his name, and turned around. "Can you stay for a few minutes?"

After the rest of his classmates exited, Tamaki closed the office door and sat down in one of the chairs opposite of his father's desk. "What do you need to talk to me about, Dad?" he asked.

Yuzuru sighed, pressing the tips of his fingers together. "Tamaki, you have _got_ to stop telling people about Miss Fujioka and the baby," he told Tamaki with a shake of his head. "Just because you can trust your friends to keep the secret doesn't mean you can trust anyone else with it."

"Dad, Kyoya made the Newspaper Club sign a nondisclosure agreement." Tamaki crossed his arms. "I promise, I'm not just going around telling people. Outside of everyone you know about, there's no one else who knows."

Yuzuru sighed again, pausing for a moment before running his fingers through his hair. "Anyway, back to business. This Friday evening, your grandmother and I will be attending a dinner with several of Suoh Enterprise's business partners. I want you to come."

Tamaki opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out.

"I think this would be a great opportunity for you to not only make a good impression on your grandmother, but also to begin to grasp the ropes of what it means to do business as a Suoh," Yuzuru continued. "Even though your grandmother hasn't officially named you the heir, you _are_ my only child, and it's important you begin preparing to inherit the company as early as possible."

Tamaki began to comment, but stopped himself before saying anything. "Yes, sir. I understand."

Yuzuru smiled faintly. "And, Tamaki, listen. I'm doing everything I can to paint you in a more positive light, but it's ultimately up to your grandmother's discretion, unfortunately. And remember, though—" He brought his voice down, almost to a whisper. "—truthfully, you have up until the baby is born to convince her to name you as the heir. It may seem like a long time from now, but I promise you, it's not."

Although he felt his stomach drop, Tamaki simply nodded in response.

"Alright?" Yuzuru stood up, prompting Tamaki to do so as well, and walked over to the other side of the desk. "Tamaki, I have the utmost confidence in you. You're so smart, and… _charismatic_. While that woman _is_ smart, charisma is something she definitely lacks." He placed his hands on Tamaki's shoulders. "You've got this. I'll see you on Friday." He cracked a playful smile. "Now, go to class before you miss too much."

As Tamaki walked back to his classroom, his mind was racing with what his father had just told him. Not only did he have to convince his grandmother to name him the heir of Suoh Enterprises, he only had about five months to do so.

He just hoped that however hard he tried to impress her, she wouldn't brush him off.

* * *

(A/N) **To my American readers, happy Thanksgiving!**

 **I am so, so, _so_ sorry for my long absence! School ended up being a lot more intense this semester than I had thought, and literally whenever I told myself I would sit down and write a bunch, a huge project or test would come up and I had to put this off. Fortunately, the semester ends December 7 (and my finals end December 12), so I'll have a lot of free time coming up.**

 **However, I'm back! I know I've said this a million times, but this "part" of the story is where things really start to pick up. I'm really excited!**

 **Reviews, comments, & suggestions are appreciated, as always!**


	17. Of No Importance

"Antoinette, stop," whined Haruhi as she picked up her laptop with one hand and pushed the dog away with the other. "I'm trying to do schoolwork. Go bother Tamaki."

Tamaki laughed and sat down next to Haruhi, carrying a cup of tea. "Haruhi, she just likes the baby, that's all. Antoinette, _viens_."

Antoinette responded to Tamaki's call, and Haruhi repositioned herself on the couch. "She only likes the baby when I'm doing schoolwork," she grumbled, shifting positions again. "I was comfortable! It's going to take forever to find a good position again…"

"Is it really _that_ hard to get comfortable again?"

"Tamaki, I have a thing the size of a tomato _crushing my internal organs_. It's pretty difficult."

Tamaki blinked. _I hadn't really thought about it like that_. "Anyway, can you help me pick out what I'm going to wear tonight?"

"Don't you have someone who can help you with that?" asked Haruhi with a roll of her eyes.

"Haruhi, I have to leave in an hour. Besides, I want _your_ input."

" _Fine_." Haruhi shut her laptop and sat it on the coffee table before following Tamaki out of the drawing room.

The two headed upstairs and into Tamaki's bedroom, which, unsurprisingly, hadn't changed from the first time Haruhi had seen it. Immediately she walked over to the armoire and began to open it. "What kind of event is this, anyway?" she asked.

"That's…not my closet," Tamaki told her, a bit embarrassed.

"Then what is?"

Tamaki opened a door into what Haruhi assumed was the bathroom, and she crossed his room to follow him inside. "This is the _bathroom_ ," she confirmed, giving him a confused expression.

"And _this_ is the closet." Tamaki opened a door and gestured for Haruhi to go inside.

Haruhi thought the closet in _her_ bedroom was extravagant, but this was truly next-level. What Tamaki had called his "closet" was really more of a combination of a closet and a dressing room. The walls were lined with numerous shelves and rods holding various clothes and accessories, and even a special section reserved for Tamaki's school uniforms. An entire section was set aside for shoes, and in the middle of the room sat a bench with belts and ties hanging from the sides. Haruhi couldn't even _think_ of where to start; she couldn't imagine having this many clothes to choose from every single day.

"Welcome to the wonderful world of my closet," said Tamaki in a flat tone. "Anyway, it's a business function. I'm not _quite_ sure what the dress code is, but given the context, I'm pretty sure black tie would be alright…"

Haruhi was still awestruck by the sheer amount of clothes and closet space, and aimlessly looked around as Tamaki was talking to her. "Hm?" she asked.

"Black tie," he repeated, walking over to a section of the closet Haruhi had taken to be the "formalwear" section. "There's not a whole lot of variation, but I'd still like you to help me with the little things. Waistcoat or cumberbund?"

"Uh…" Haruhi looked back and forth between the two boxes of tie/waist wear sets Tamaki was holding up. "Waistcoat, but…why black? Colors suit you better…"

Tamaki blinked. "Haruhi, _black_ tie. If this were a Host Club event colors would be fine, but this is a _business_ event. No deviation allowed."

"That's boring." Haruhi watched as he put the cumberbund/bow tie set away and turned towards the tuxedo jackets.

" _Let's see… Waistcoat, so that means peaked lapel…_ " Tamaki said to himself, pulling a jacket off the rod and tossing it to Haruhi.

"Don't you have someone who does this for you?" asked Haruhi, holding up the jacket only to be hit with a matching pair of pants.

"Yes, but like I said, I want _your_ input. Besides, I trust your judgement, and you know me more… _personally_ than my valet." He glanced back at Haruhi, who grunted as she slowly bent down to pick up the pants, before looking back to his massive selection of dress shirts. "Okay, bow tie, so…wing-tipped collar…"

Trying to shake out any wrinkles in the pants Tamaki's carelessness had caused, Haruhi sighed. "What event is this tonight?"

Tamaki selected his shirt and turned around. "It's a dinner between my family's company and several of its closest business partners," he told Haruhi. "I'm not exactly sure _why_ they're having a dinner, but I'm assuming there's something important between Suoh Enterprises and the other businesses that needs to be discussed." He neatly hung the shirt and its hanger up on a hook, then began to take off the shirt he was currently wearing.

Haruhi's face immediately went red and she abruptly turned away. "Wait for me to leave first!" she chided, placing the tuxedo jacket and pants on the bench in the center of the room.

Blinking, Tamaki finished taking off his shirt and immediately put on the dress shirt after it. "Haruhi, we had _sex_. Neither of us remember very much, but I'm pretty sure you've seen worse."

Haruhi let out a frustrated sigh before turning back around. "That's beside the point. Do you need help with anything else?"

After hesitantly watching Tamaki get dressed, Haruhi helped him pick out which shoes to wear (how many different pairs of black Oxfords could one man own?) and listened to him spew nervous nonsense before his valet called him and told him it was time for him to be on his way. "I hope the dinner goes well," Tamaki said, taking one last look in the mirror before waving. "Wish me luck!"

And though she wasn't sure how visible it was to him, Haruhi hoped the dinner would go well too.

* * *

Tamaki took deep breaths in an attempt to calm himself down. He kept checking his phone repetitively—what if his dad was trying to call or text him to tell him of a change in plans? As it was, his father was due to arrive a few minutes behind Tamaki, so his grandmother wouldn't have as great of a chance of sending him home, but he was still worried there would be some type of miscommunication that would ruin the whole night.

He looked out the window and saw that the limousine was pulling up to the building where the dinner was being held. As the car rolled to a stop underneath the porte-cochère, Tamaki took a final deep breath before combing through his hair with his hands and adjusting his bow tie.

The chauffeur opened the door and tipped his hat as Tamaki stepped out of the limo. "Thank you, Kawashima," he told him, glancing down at his watch. "I'll call you when I'm ready to be picked up."

"Certainly, Master Tamaki." The chauffeur tipped his hat once again, and Tamaki took that as his cue to make his way into the building.

As expected, Yuzuru and Shizue were nowhere to be seen, so Tamaki decided to sit on a bench in the entrance hall and wait. He pulled out his phone to play a game or text Kyoya or something, but after quickly considering that he was likely the only teenager present at the dinner, decided it would have the potential to create too much of a bad impression, and resisted the urge to do anything on it.

Finally, after less than five minutes of waiting, he saw his father and grandmother enter into the hall.

Tamaki's eyes lit up and he happily jogged over to meet his family. "Grandmother, it's so nice to see you!" he exclaimed. "How are you—"

Shizue abruptly held up her hand in a "stop" motion, and Tamaki's happiness fell. "Yuzuru, you invited your filthy child tonight?" she barked, glaring at her son.

Yuzuru flashed Tamaki an apologetic glance before answering his mother's question. "Mother, I think _Tamaki_ is old enough now to be attending Suoh Enterprise's business functions. He's practically a young adult! Besides, his name is already on the guest list, and it would reflect poorly upon us if one of our own didn't show…"

Tamaki's grandmother pursed her lips in anger before sighing frustratedly. "Very well. Yuzuru, your son's behavior tonight reflects upon yourself as well."

* * *

After Tamaki had left for the dinner, Haruhi had _tried_ to get back to her schoolwork, but was ultimately prevented from doing so by Antoinette. After approximately five minutes of squabbling with the golden retriever, she finally gave in and slammed her laptop shut, allowing the dog to jump up onto the couch and sit with her.

She had already been bombarded with texts from both Mei and Renge, both asking whether the baby was a boy or a girl, and had to reluctantly tell the two of them that she had decided to wait until the baby was born to find out the sex. Naturally, Mei wasn't afraid to voice her disappointment, as was Renge; however, Renge was a little less straightforward about it.

 _Okay, but we need to get together soon!_ was the last text Mei had sent before Haruhi decided to give it a break.

"Okay, Antoinette…" She grunted and nudged the dog, who seemed to understand and jumped off of the couch so Haruhi could get up. "I wonder how your dad—" She paused and looked down at Antoinette. "Does Tamaki call himself your dad?" she asked aloud, almost expecting a response. Antoinette did nothing except wag her tail and stare up at Haruhi with her large brown eyes. "Oh well. I wonder how he's doing?"

Antoinette continued to wag her tail and pant, and she followed Haruhi out of the drawing room and up the grand staircase.

While Haruhi had gotten used to essentially being alone all day, she still hadn't gotten used to having an animal living with her. It was weird enough moving into the second Suoh mansion, and going from a two-person apartment with no pets to a huge estate complete with a purebred dog was just icing on the cake.

"I know he mentioned it was some sort of business dinner," continued Haruhi as she pushed open the door to the study. She set her laptop down on the desk and pulled out the chair, Antoinette politely sitting right next to her. "It seemed like a pretty special event, though." She looked down at Antoinette again, as if expecting a response.

"I just hope he's not too stressed out…"

* * *

Tamaki Suoh was the most stressed out he had been in his entire life.

Throughout the dinner, he could just _feel_ his grandmother's piercing glare stabbing through his skin. Every word he heard sounded like nothing but a jumbled mess of phonemes, and he found himself unable to decipher any meaning from the words that came out of the mouths of the Suoh business associates.

He finally perked up when he recognized his name in the puddle of words. "And Tamaki here is the top student in his class," Yuzuru boasted, and Tamaki knew if the setting were different he would have received a strong pat on the back.

His father's business associates "ooh"ed and "ahh"ed as they congratulated Tamaki on his academic achievements, and he actually felt proud for a moment—until he saw his grandmother's face. The firmness of her frown never wavered, the crease lines on her forehead remaining parallel to each other, reminding Tamaki that any of his achievements were of no importance to her.

Although he was trying so hard, he still felt like a failure.

A waiter coming around and refilling everyone's glasses briefly snapped him out of his sulking, and he sat up straight as he prepared to hand the waiter his glass.

The next thing he knew, the sound of shattering echoed throughout the room, and he felt the icky feeling of wetness soaking through his pants.

The room immediately went silent, and Tamaki felt dozens of pairs of eyes on him. His own eyes slowly crept upward, and they locked with the equally mortified eyes of the waiter. However, this mishap did not prevent a small smile from forming on his lips as he scooted his chair out from the table and knelt down on the floor. "Let me help you with that," he said, taking his napkin from his lap and using it to sweep up the pieces of broken crystal.

Despite his smile, Tamaki's throat began to close and grow sore as he helped clean up the mess. The one night he saw as some sort of redemption arc (as far as his grandmother was concerned), and it had already been ruined by something out of his control.

It didn't take long for the manager to help resolve the commotion, and Tamaki quickly said a word to his father before ducking out of the dining room and heading straight for the restroom. Nearly the entirety of his pants was soaked, and although he told Yuzuru he was going to clean up, he actually just wanted to be anywhere but the dinner.

"Kawashima? Yes, I'm ready to be picked up now," he told his chauffeur, trying his hardest to not allow his voice to crack. He took another glance down at his saturated pants, his eyes only beginning to water more. "Yes, thank you." He hung up the phone and took a large gulp as he looked at himself in the mirror.

The door to the bathroom slowly creaked open, and Tamaki quickly looked up from his moping to see Yuzuru's face sticking through the crack. "Tamaki?" the older man quietly asked before opening the door a bit wider and forcing his body into the room. "Is everything alright?"

Tamaki quickly recomposed himself before turning around with a smile plastered across his face. "I'm fine," he told his dad, who raised an eyebrow. "I just remembered Haruhi wanted me to come home to help her with something!" He quickly checked the time on his phone before putting it back into his suit jacket pocket and beginning to walk off.

Yuzuru sighed and grabbed his son's shoulders before he could leave. "Tamaki, she wouldn't do that," he told him. "It's not even eight o'clock yet… What's _really_ the matter?"

Tamaki only continued to smile as he brushed Yuzuru's hands off his shoulders. "Nothing! I've already told Kawashima to come pick me up. He should be here any minute."

Yuzuru opened his mouth to speak, but quickly realized it would be of no use. "I'm sorry tonight didn't turn out the way you wanted it to."

"Don't be," Tamaki beamed. 'I still had a great time." His phone vibrated with a text message that the chauffeur had arrived, and he took it as his cue to leave. "Thank you for the invitation, Dad. I'll see you soon."

* * *

Antoinette decided to hang on Haruhi for the rest of the evening, and the two had been nearly inseparable since they had retreated to the study. While she was not particularly fond of pets, she had to admit the golden retriever had a very pleasant presence and seemed to genuinely like her.

The sound of the side entrance door opening caused Antoinette's ears to perk up, and Haruhi did too when the dog got up off of the rug and ran out of the room. "Antoinette?" called Haruhi, getting up from the desk and following her.

Once she heard the sound of Tamaki's voice and the loud slapping of Antoinette's tail against the tile, she knew exactly what was going on.

Well, almost.

"You're home early," said Haruhi as she stepped into the side foyer.

Tamaki briefly looked up at her before returning to scratching Antoinette's head. _Are his eyes...red?_ "Heh," he laughed, giving his dog one final pat before standing up. "The dinner itself was rather... _boring_."

He began to head upstairs, and Haruhi followed him. "Nothing interesting happened?" she asked, getting the suspicion that something wasn't quite right with the situation.

"Nope! Just boring business drabble." Antoinette caught up with Tamaki, and he gave her a smile as they continued down the hallway to his bedroom. "Anyway, I'm going to go to bed. All that talk is absolutely _exhausting_!"

Haruhi furrowed her brows. "Tamaki, it's not even 8:30—"

"Goodnight!" Tamaki closed the door behind himself and Antoinette, and Haruhi heard the distinct sound of the lock being engaged.

Haruhi was left open-mouthed as she stared at the door that was essentially just slammed in her face. Her hand instinctively reached for the handle, but she hesitated as she thought of what could have possibly happened to cause Tamaki to be so upset. After a quick mental debate, she ultimately decided to leave him be. He'd explain what happened when he was ready.

She couldn't help but think, however, that with the situation they were going through, he would have to trust her enough to let his true emotions show.

* * *

(A/N): **Firstly, let me apologize for how long this chapter has taken! I know I apologize a lot, but this semester I've been slammed with a lot more schoolwork than I usually am, plus I'm an officer in a student organization, and was elected secretary of my sorority for this year. I've been trying really hard to work in writing breaks when I'm not busy, and I have no plans to put this on hiatus, so don't worry! I want to give you all the highest quality of writing I can, which might take a bit longer than both you all and I want it to, but I hope you all understand.**

 **Thanks for sticking around this long! Reviews, comments, and suggestions are always welcome (and appreciated)!**


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